Dark Hearts
by Empress Venus
Summary: The opening of the mysterious GS Ball led to a dark and terrifying encounter beyond Ash's wildest dreams. A terrible secret, a horrifying plan, is about to be revealed.
1. Chapter 1

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

This fanfic stems from an idea I had and tried writing up a long time ago. So long ago, I'm seriously glad I never put the original attempt on the Internet. Now I'm rewriting the plot and such to produce an even better piece of work.

Game Freak and Nintendo own Pokemon. I have absolutely nothing to do with it. I just enjoy writing fanfiction for it.

* * *

Tracey walked through Professor Oak's laboratory, laboriously sweeping the floor beneath his feet as he went about his daily chores. After this, he would have to go and feed the Pokemon while Professor Oak ate his breakfast. The eager assistant had already risen early and eaten his meal, prepared for another busy day ahead of him.

The brown-haired teen was so focused on his chore that it startled him when the nearby telephone sitting on the table in the hallway announced its presence with a loud ring. Tracey hurriedly dropped the broom and rushed to pick up the receiver.

"Professor Oak's laboratory," Tracey said. "This is his assistant speaking. Who should I say is calling?"

"Ah, his assistant, eh?" A man's voice that Tracey did not recognise emitted from the speaker. "Yes, I remember Oak mentioning that he had one. Tell him that this is Kurt from Azalea Town. It's about a certain item."

"Uh, right..." Tracey said uncertainly, confused by the mention of a certain item. What was the item supposed to be? He stood still for a few seconds before he suddenly remembered he was supposed to go and get Professor Oak. "Sorry, I'll go and get him right now. Please hold on." Placing the receiver down, he hurried up the stairs to call for Oak.

Almost a minute later, Professor Oak stumbled down the stairs in his pyjamas and a nightgown, sleepily rubbing his eyes. He reached out to take the receiver and put it to his ear. "Hello, Kurt? It's quite early, isn't it?"

"What kind of greeting is that for an old friend?" Kurt grumbled over the phone. Oak exhaled heavily and leaned on the table, glancing at Tracey who was earnestly listening and not even pretending otherwise.

"Alright, alright," Oak said quickly. "Sorry, I'm not always a morning person. So, you're calling about a certain item? Surely you couldn't mean the GS Ball?"

"The GS Ball?" Tracey exclaimed. "I thought we'd all forgotten about that by now." Realising his mistake, he immediately closed his mouth, looking apologetic. Oak raised an eyebrow at his outburst. It was true that the mysterious item that Ash and company had gone to so much trouble over had seemed to be quickly forgotten.

"Yes, I do mean the GS Ball!" Kurt declared triumphantly. "Remember how I was going to study it and figure out why it couldn't be opened? Well, at last I figured out how to open it."

"You mean you've opened it?" Oak exclaimed in excitement, leaping to his feet all of a sudden. Tracey backed away, startled by his sudden movement. "Tell me quickly, was there anything in it? There's something special about it, isn't there?"

Tracey wanted to hear more about the GS Ball, but as his gaze fell upon the broom, he remembered the chores that needed doing. He picked it up and resumed his sweeping, as Oak and Kurt continued to talk about the newly opened GS Ball.

After feeding the various Pokemon that lived at Oak's laboratory, Tracey returned to the lab to find Oak fully dressed and finishing off the last of his breakfast. He sat at the table and glanced at Oak's expression, noticing slight disappointment and confusion etched on the Professor's face.

"Is something wrong, Professor Oak?" Tracey asked in concern. "The GS Ball was opened, right? That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Well, it's still a bit of a mystery to be honest," Oak murmured, resting his chin in one hand and gazing over Tracey's shoulder. "Even after he opened it, he can't figure out what's so special about it. I wonder if Professor Ivy will want it back. I suppose I should contact her now and tell her about it. Still, someone will have to go and get the GS Ball from Kurt."

"Kurt's in Johto, isn't he?" Tracey asked, eliciting a nod of confirmation from Oak. "I don't think we can ask Ash yet, he's still travelling in Sinnoh after all. Is there someone else you could send to get it?"

"It doesn't seem to be too urgent, but now that Kurt has opened it and completed his studies, it would be good if it was returned soon and we don't know how long Ash will take," Oak said. "Hmm, actually, isn't May in Johto at the moment? I wonder if I could ask her."

"So there was nothing in it or anything?" Tracey looked surprised. "But even after all that trouble everyone went to to figure out the mystery... it seems rather anticlimactic."

"I'm sure there's still something strange about it," Oak said. "But at any rate, it's been opened, which is what we were aiming for. So the important thing is to get it back here and then return it to Ivy, I suppose."

"Right," Tracey said, getting to his feet and reaching for Oak's breakfast plate. "Anyway, I'll do the dishes, so you can go and do your work now, Professor."

Oak nodded and got up from his chair, silently walking out of the room. He was feeling rather troubled about the issue. There was definitely something strange about the whole thing. It was a special looking Pokeball that had taken so long to open. In the end, there was nothing in it. For something so curious, where had the female Professor found something like it? Where had it even come from?

For the time being, he would just have to continue working on other things until Ash called him and then could hopefully contact May for him. Pokemon trainers on the road proved notoriously difficult to get in touch with after all.

* * *

It wasn't until two days later that Ash would eventually make the call that Oak anxiously awaited. Ash, Brock and Dawn walked into the Pokemon Center at Eterna City, tired out from their long journey through the Eterna Forest.

"I can't wait to rest in a comfortable bed!" Dawn moaned, her feet practically dragging her toward the counter where Nurse Joy was on duty. "But the Pokemon come first." She reached for her Pokeballs at her waist.

Ash was about to greet Joy and request healing, when Brock burst in front of him, looking positively energetic as his gaze fell upon the pink-haired lady.

"Nurse Joy!" Brock exclaimed. Nurse Joy offered a weak smile in response. "After such a long walk, it is truly refreshing to see such a beautiful woman like you! Why don't we sit down together later and-" He suddenly gasped as his Croagunk came seemingly out of nowhere and jabbed him in the side.

Ash and Dawn silently watched as Brock fell to the floor in paralysis and was dragged away by the offending Pokemon. The two stepped up to the counter and Ash placed his Pikachu in front of Nurse Joy.

"Good evening, Nurse Joy," Ash said. "Can you heal Pikachu, and my other Pokemon as well?"

"Certainly," Joy said, taking the Pokeballs.

"Mine too, please," Dawn said quickly, handing over her Pokeballs.

"My Pokemon could also do with a rest," Brock said from behind Dawn, holding out his Pokeballs for Joy to take. Dawn looked at him with a surprised expression.

"How did you recover so fast?" Dawn asked. Brock only answered with a shrug and a sheepish smile.

"Okay, Pikachu, I'll see you later," Ash said, rubbing Pikachu's head. "You'll be good for Nurse Joy, won't you?"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered, smiling happily as Nurse Joy picked him up.

As the Pokemon were taken away, Dawn glanced over at a row of phones on the wall. "Oh, while we're here, we could make some calls. It's been a long time since we were last at a Pokemon Center, and I haven't talked to my mom in ages."

"Yeah, I should call my mom as well," Ash agreed. "I'm sure she's worrying about me right now because we spent so long on the road."

As Ash and Dawn rushed to the phones, Brock hung back and watched as they called up their respective homes. He was sure his family wasn't too worried about him, his parents being especially self-absorbed, and they knew he was capable of looking after himself.

"Hi, Mom," Ash spoke to the screen as Delia Ketchum's face appeared upon it. "Sorry I haven't called you in so long."

"Oh, Ash! Hello!" Delia exclaimed, looking quite happy to see her son alive and well. "I was getting worried about you. Wait a minute, where's Pikachu?" She seemed faintly disappointed not to see the cute mouse Pokemon around.

"He's resting right now with the other Pokemon," Ash explained, quite unsurprised that her thoughts immediately went to Pikachu. "We spent a long time walking through the forest, so the Pokemon were pretty tired afterward."

"I see," Delia said, nodding her head. "Give him a hug from me, okay? So, how have you been?"

"Fine as always, Mom," Ash replied, jerking a thumb up. "I've spent the past few days travelling through this huge forest. Sometimes, I think it seems like we're always in a forest. They are always so big." He pouted, letting out a sigh.

Delia let out a small chuckle, not feeling quite as sympathetic as Ash might as hoped. "Well, I'm glad to know you're still having fun on your journey. Keep trying hard and you'll be back home with another victory under your belt in little time."

"Yeah, I'll come back to Pallet someday with all the badges from the Sinnoh region," Ash declared, his spirits lifting. "You can count on me to do so."

"My, my, someone's got a big head," Dawn quipped slyly from the seat next to him, giving Ash a sidelong glance. Ash just made a face at her. He didn't tend to sound this confident, but seeing and speaking to his mother for the first time in ages certainly did give his confidence a boost. Anyway, with Pikachu by his side, how could he possibly not triumph in the Sinnoh League?

"Good luck, Ash," Delia said. "Well, I suppose you'll want to go wash up and have a nice rest after that long journey. Don't forget to brush your teeth, alright?"

"I won't, Mom," Ash protested, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'm old enough to remember these things. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," Delia replied, waving at the screen. She suddenly started, having just remembered something. "Oh, wait a minute!"

"Huh?" Ash's hand was frozen in mid-air, about to place the receiver upon the handset. He put it back against his ear.

"You need to call Professor Oak," Delia told him. "I'm not sure what it's about, but he would like to talk to you."

"Professor Oak? Okay, I'll call him right away. Bye, Mom," Ash said, placing the handset down and ending the call. Brock had overheard him and now stood behind his chair, looking curious.

"What about Professor Oak?" Brock asked, leaning over Ash's shoulder.

"Mom said he wanted me to call him," Ash said, punching out the number for Pallet Town's Pokemon lab. "I wonder what he wants."

Soon enough, Oak was pictured on the video screen and looking quite relieved to see Ash on the other end. "Hello, Ash," Oak said, waving at him. "I was waiting for you to call."

"I know, Mom told me," Ash answered. "She said you had something to tell me. I would have called earlier, but we were in the forest for a few days."

"It's fine, Ash," Oak reassured him, waving a hand. "I understand you are very busy travelling and everything, you are a Pokemon trainer after all. It's not terribly urgent really, just thought I'd let you know some good news."

"Good news?" Ash repeated. Dawn leaned in to look at Professor Oak, having finished her call, and offered a small wave to the Pokemon Professor. Brock glanced at Ash, then looked back at the screen and Oak's face.

"Yes. You remember that GS Ball, surely?" Oak asked. Ash nodded quickly. "Hard to forget something so mysterious, I suppose. Anyway, Kurt has finally opened it and he's completed his studies on it."

"Really?" Ash looked shocked. To tell the truth, he had somewhat forgotten about it, but the name quickly jogged his memory. How long had it been since he travelled to Johto and handed it over to that old man, Kurt? "So, what did he find out?"

"He couldn't find anything out, to be honest," Oak admitted, looking downcast. "But I'm sure there is still something about that GS Ball we have yet to learn. For the moment, the GS Ball has to be returned to my lab, but of course, it cannot be transmitted electronically."

"Man, I can't believe that," Ash said in a disappointed voice. "All that trouble we went to, it finally opens and nothing happens? What a bummer. So, are you sending someone to Johto to get it?"

"Well, that's a little difficult, since you and Gary are both busy in Sinnoh," Oak said. "I wouldn't want to trouble either of you with it. However, May is travelling alone in Johto right now. If you could contact her..."

"Got it," Ash said immediately. "I'll ask her to see Kurt in Azalea Town, right? When she's finished with the contests, she can come to Kanto and give it to you. Hey, maybe I'll even be done by then too."

"I'm counting on you, Ash," Oak said. "There's no need to rush things though, I'd just like to take a look at it now that it's been opened, but that can wait a little while."

"Alright... bye, Professor," Ash said, waiting for his farewell response, then placed the handset back, causing the screen to go blank. He turned around to see Brock looking quite surprised and Dawn looking wildly confused.

"What's a GS Ball?" Dawn asked immediately, leaning toward Ash with a demanding expression. "Is it some kind of special Pokeball?"

"Oh, Nurse Joy is back with our Pokemon!" Brock cried, sounding happy as he ran to the counter where Nurse Joy was waiting. Pikachu leaped to the floor and scurried over to Ash, who scooped him up into his lap.

"Hey, Pikachu, you're looking much better," Ash said. He glanced at Dawn. "It's a pretty long story, but I suppose I can tell you a short version while Brock chats up Nurse Joy." He glanced over at Brock who was now talking excitedly to the pink-haired nurse. Nurse Joy seemed quite helpless.

"I'm listening," Dawn said seriously. "Tell me now."

"Okay, a long time ago, I went to the Orange Islands with Brock and our friend, Misty, on an errand for Professor Oak. We had to get this strange Pokeball from a woman, Professor Ivy," Ash said, dropping his voice an octave as he spoke the name. He wasn't sure if Brock was still sensitive to it or not and hardly wanted to risk him overhearing.

"The GS Ball, huh?" Dawn guessed. Ash nodded. "What does GS mean?"

"Can't you let me tell the story first?" Ash asked impatiently. Dawn clamped her mouth shut and nodded. "So, we got the GS Ball, but Brock stayed behind on the island with her, while Misty and I travelled around the Orange Islands with Tracey, Professor Oak's assistant. Eventually, we returned to Pallet Town and Professor Oak studied the GS Ball, but couldn't do anything with it, just like Professor Ivy."

"What do you mean, couldn't do anything with it?" Dawn asked. Ash raised an eyebrow. "It wouldn't open or anything?"

"It's exactly what it means!" Ash exclaimed. "Nobody could open it, so Professor Oak sent me with Brock and Misty to Johto, where we gave the GS Ball to Kurt to study. Seems he's got it open now. I wonder how it was opened."

"Right..." Dawn still seemed slightly confused. "But why is it called a GS Ball?"

"Because it's gold and silver, I guess," Ash said, shrugging. "To hear that nothing incredible happened is a real disappointment after all the trouble we went to. Geez..."

"Wow, that is lame," Dawn said. "But maybe Professor Oak can find out something about it now that it's open, like he said, right? It will be okay! Now let's go and rest... I'm so tired." She let out a huge yawn.

"Yeah, me too," Ash said, looking over at Brock who did not seem tired in the least as he gazed in a lovestruck manner at Nurse Joy, who was now trying to work and ignore him at the same time. "Where does he get that energy from?"

"Pika..." Pikachu said in a deadpan voice, looking exasperated.

* * *

Somehow, the trio managed to get a hold of May at Goldenrod City. It had helped that they looked up contests beginning in Johto and Goldenrod City's was happening in just a few days, and hoping that May would be staying at the Pokemon Center, the connection had finally been made.

"Hi, Ash, Brock!" May exclaimed, grinning as she gazed at her former travelling companions. Her Blaziken stood behind her and offered a cheery wave in greeting. May's sapphire eyes fell upon Dawn and she blinked in confusion. "Oh, who is this?"

"Oh, she's Dawn, from Twinleaf Town in this region," Ash explained, glancing at the blue-haired girl. "Dawn, this is May, whom Brock and I used to travel with."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you," Dawn said, waving at the brunette.

"Did Pikachu fry your bike too?" May asked immediately. Pikachu, sitting on Ash's shoulder, immediately looked horribly guilty and offered a small "Pika..." his yellow ears hanging down in shame.

"Yeah, but it wasn't really Pikachu's fault," Dawn said, smiling and patting Pikachu on the head. "I was the one attacking him in the first place with Piplup."

"It's been a long time since we last spoke, hasn't it, May?" Brock said. "It's pretty difficult to get in touch with other travellers, so we looked up the contests happening in Johto. Going for the Goldenrod Contest, then?"

"That's right." May nodded and clenched a fist. "I am definitely going to try my best and so will my Pokemon!" She paused, staring at Ash. "Say, not that I mind you getting in touch, but was there a reason?"

"Well... yeah..." Ash said slowly, suddenly wondering if it had been a good idea to call her up after so long with a favour in mind.

May raised an eyebrow, a small frown crossing her features. "I knew it. You want something? I'm all the way over here in Johto, what can I do?"

"It does look bad, doesn't it?" Brock asked sheepishly. "Only getting in touch now to ask for something?" May nodded in response, her frown deepening.

"I'm sorry, May, but it's really difficult for us to get in touch with each other when we're both on the road, you know?" Ash smiled nervously. "Anyway, it's really simple... this can wait until after the Contest, I promise..."

* * *

May stood at the outskirts of Azalea Town, staring at a Slowpoke. The lazy pink Pokemon gazed languidly at her, not even blinking, then suddenly let out a long yawn. May continued to watch it as it yawned. A few seconds later, she considered timing the yawn and started mentally counting. Approximately twenty seconds later, the Slowpoke closed its mouth.

"Okay..." May said slowly, tearing her gaze away from it. That had to be the longest yawn she had ever seen in her life. Keeping her distance from the Slowpoke, May started walking through the town. Brock had warned her that the Slowpoke were sacred in Azalea Town and the residents might not take kindly to a stranger entering the town and disturbing their precious Pokemon.

With a brand new ribbon from the Goldenrod Contest, May had immediately set off for Azalea Town to do what Ash asked of her. It was not too far from Goldenrod so she didn't mind coming here so much. As she walked along the path, she looked around in interest and was rather surprised to see so many Slowpoke. Never before had she seen so many of them at once. They really were something special in this place.

"Well," May murmured to herself, glancing at the buildings and wondering which one the old man could be found in. "It's quite simple, I just have to find some guy named Kurt and get that GS Ball for Ash, and then he had better repay the favour." She crossed her arms and pouted slightly, wondering she would like in return. A new bike would be ideal, even if she had got used to walking everywhere.

May was so absorbed in her thoughts that she almost bumped into one of the Slowpokes. A warning shout stopped her in her tracks and she looked down into the vacant eyes of the dim-witted Pokemon. May let out a startled cry and jumped back, praying that the residents of Azalea weren't going to come and lynch her for almost stepping on a Slowpoke.

"Careful there!" An old lady exclaimed, hobbling up to May and patting the Slowpoke on the head. "The Slowpoke are lazy creatures and they certainly won't be getting out of your way. Ah, you're a newcomer, aren't you? What brings you to Azalea?"

May pressed her lips together, throwing a small glare at the Pokemon she had almost trod upon. How much effort did it really take to move a few feet? "I'm looking for Kurt. Can you tell me where he lives?"

"Kurt, eh? That old man never comes out of his home," said the woman, tutting and shaking her head. "Obsessed with those Apricorns and fancy Pokeballs, he is. He lives over there." She pointed in the direction of a small cottage. "That is where he lives."

"Thank you very much," May responded, turning away and walking toward the cottage. Was Kurt really a recluse? Those type of people could be rather strange. But Ash wouldn't be sending her off by herself to go and see crazy people, right? May bit down on her bottom lip and mentally chided herself. Of course not. Maybe he really was just a pleasant old man who simply didn't like going outside.

Upon reaching the cottage, May reached out and knocked on the door. A gruff voice from inside answered, telling her to come inside. May opened the door and stepped in, looking around as she shut it behind her.

"Hello?" May called, walking forward and stopping with a start as an old man hurried out of a nearby room and turned to look at her with penetrating eyes.

"What brings you here, eh?" the old man asked, stepping up to her. "Got an Apricorn for me?"

"You're Kurt, right?" May asked. The man nodded in response. "I'm May, a friend of Ash Ketchum's..."

"That kid Oak sent to me with the GS Ball?" Kurt asked quickly. "Yes, I remember him. Sheesh, that Samuel, always sending off kids to do his own bidding..."

"Well, Ash sent me, but I got the feeling that it was Professor Oak's idea," May said, an eyebrow raised slightly. "Ash is in a faraway region at the moment and I was in Goldenrod when he asked me, so..."

"I get it," Kurt said, holding up his hands. "Since you know Ash, I believe you're really here for Oak. Well, I suppose it's time to hand over the GS Ball now. But don't go playing with it, you hear me? It's no ordinary Pokeball, I'm sure of it."

"I won't do anything with it, I promise," May said quickly. "I'll deliver it straight to Professor Oak after the Contest Festival. The contests come first for me so..."

"It's alright. You take your time," Kurt assured her. "She can wait..." he added in a lower voice, before turning away. "I'll just go and get it."

"She?" May echoed, feeling confused. The co-ordinator got the feeling those words hadn't exactly been meant for her to hear, so she decided it was better not to ask. Ash would probably know anyway. After a few minutes, Kurt returned and held out the GS Ball.

May glanced at the shiny Pokeball, gold on top and silver on bottom, sitting within Kurt's palm. She reached out for it and held it up, frowning. It just looked and felt like a regular Pokeball. Somehow, she had been expecting something a little more... fancy. "Eh? That's it?" May whined, sounding disappointed.

"Heck of a letdown, that thing," Kurt said, clapping her on the shoulder. May winced in surprise at the force of his hand and took a step back. "It may not look like anything special, but I'm sure it has a secret of its own. You look after that thing now and get it safely to Oak."

"I definitely will!" May exclaimed, a smile on her face. Even if the GS Ball didn't seem so interesting, she definitely wanted to be a part of this strange mystery and find out whatever secrets it held. "You can count on me!"

May walked out of the cottage, gazing at the GS Ball she grasped in her hand. "Alright!" she exclaimed, holding it up high. "I'll most definitely protect it and get it to Professor Oak. It's a new mission for May's Exploration Team!" As her voice echoed in her ears, she frowned. "It doesn't sound the same when I'm alone."

* * *

Footsteps echoed around the room, advancing upon the softly glowing tube by the wall. A viscous, reddish liquid flowed around the pulsating mass within. Wires and machines connected to the tube, many of them beeping steadily.

A hand reached out and pressed gently against the cold glass, fingers moving slowly as if stroking it. Watchful eyes gazed at the mass floating in the tube, a splendid creation that would one day be ready. And then...

The creator smiled, their mouth spreading into a wide grin and displaying two rows of perfect white teeth. "The world... it shall be ours. One day." A soft chuckle followed and then they turned away, eyes sweeping over the almost empty room in satisfaction.


	2. Chapter 2

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Well, that was a long wait. My time was mostly taken up with Pokemon Pearl, and my interest in the fic kept waning at this part. Probably because there's no action yet.

And about Brock still being unable to stand the name... in the Deoxys movie, for some absurd reason, he told someone he had worked for Professor Ivy herself, suggesting he was over it. However! It was a dub line by 4Kids. Takeshi never mentioned her in the original. So Brock ain't over it. 4Kids sure liked to mess with Brock. Kill off his mother, cure his phobia... uh. No.

* * *

Quite some time had passed since the retrieval of the GS Ball, and finally Ash and Dawn's journey was coming to a close. It was early in the afternoon, as the three Pokemon trainers walked along a path leading in the direction of Twinleaf Town. Pikachu walked alongside them, with Piplup. Dawn had remained stubborn in the decision not to evolve her starter Pokemon. Brock also had Happiny out, the baby Pokemon happily bouncing in his arms.

"At last, I've got every badge in this region and fought in the league," Ash said reverently, opening his badge case and staring at the contents. Eight shining badges sat in two neat rows. "I can't wait to go home and show Mom all the badges of Sinnoh."

"Ash, you've been opening that every five minutes," Brock spoke up, looking almost exasperated at Ash's giddy behaviour. "If you keep doing that, your case is going to break."

"I'm just so excited because I'm finally going home," Ash moaned, closing the badge case and shoving it back into his pocket. "I can't wait to show Mom and Professor Oak my Sinnoh badges. But why did I have to lose in yet another league?"

"Well, at least it was a tie. You didn't actually lose that battle," Dawn said in an attempt to lift Ash's spirits. "If it wasn't for that jerk Paul and his Torterra, I'm sure you would totally have got to the Elite Four."

"Thanks, Dawn, but this is yet another league I haven't been able to get through," Ash said, sounding slightly down. "The only league I ever beat was at the Orange Islands. At this rate, I won't ever become Pokemon Master."

"Pikapi, pika!" Pikachu sensed his distress and ran over, scampering up onto Ash's shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. "Pikachu, pi," the electric mouse said in an insistent tone that Ash understood.

"Heh, you're right, Pikachu," Ash said, reaching up to rub Pikachu's head. "I've just got to keep trying. I'll get there one day. We'll do it together."

"I can't believe our journey is almost over already." Dawn folded her arms and let out a small sigh. "It seems like such a short time. I'm going to miss travelling with you two so much."

"Piplup, piplup," the small penguin Pokemon agreed, bouncing up next to Dawn with a mildly sad expression on its face.

"Aren't you looking forward to returning home and seeing your mother?" Brock asked.

"Of course I am. I want Mom to see my ribbons and be proud of me." Dawn clasped her hands together, smiling. "But I really enjoyed travelling. Maybe I can come to Kanto next and do the contests there. You would definitely come and watch me, right?"

"Of course we would." Ash flashed a thumbs up. "I'm not sure if I'm going to be travelling to another region yet after all, but if I'm not, I'll definitely come to see you at the contests."

"Same here," Brock added.

"Thanks, guys." Dawn smiled.

Their final night together was spent at Dawn's house. In the morning, Dawn waved goodbye as Ash and Brock set off for the harbour, hurrying to take the ship that would escort them back to Kanto. As the ship began moving away from the coastline, the two gazed fondly at the continent where they had just spent their latest journey.

* * *

May walked through the busy streets of Cerulean City, looking out for her destination. Soon, she spotted a large building with a Dewgong displayed across it and the words 'Cerulean Gym' written beneath.

"Ah, so here it is!" May exclaimed, hurrying toward the building. She stepped inside and walked forward, hearing the sound of splashing. The brunette headed to the source of the sound, catching sight of a large swimming pool.

On one end of the swimming pool, a female redhead was looking slightly dismayed as she recalled her Starmie, who seemed to have lost the battle against the other trainer present. He kneeled down, patting his Bulbasaur, telling the grass Pokemon it had done a good job.

"Well, since you managed to defeat both of my Pokemon, I'll have to give you your reward now," the redhead said, pulling a badge out of her pocket. "Here you go. The Cascade Badge is yours." She tossed it over and the trainer swiftly caught it.

"Alright!" he yelled, jumping up and down. "I got the Cascade Badge!"

May watched the trainer run out of the room with his prize, then walked over to the pool and waved. "Hi, Misty!" she called.

"Huh? May!" Misty exclaimed, looking surprised as she hurried over to her. "I wasn't expecting to see you. What are you here for?"

"Well, I've just finished my journey in Johto, doing the contests, and I got so many ribbons!" May exclaimed happily. "I came back to Kanto to finish off an errand for Professor Oak, but I thought since I was passing through I would come and say hello first."

"So, you're going to Pallet Town then?" Misty asked. "I think Ash might be coming home soon actually. Last I heard from him, he'd just got the last badge."

"Oh, really?" May sounded excited. "It would be great to see him again. Hey, why don't you come to Pallet Town with me?"

"I suppose I should. It's been a while since I've last seen him person, and my sisters can take care of the gym for a while," Misty mused. "Okay, let me just go and talk to them."

"Okay." May patiently waited as Misty ran off, gazing at the various Pokemon swimming around in the pool. She tried to count them to pass the time, but ended up losing count too quickly to keep it up. "Geez, how many are there anyway?" May muttered to herself.

Misty soon returned with a round, blue Pokemon in her arms. "Well, Daisy's going to run the gym while I'm gone, so I'll come along and I'm bringing Azurill as well. You want to see your mom, right, Azurill?"

Azurill replied with a squeak and happily shifted around in Misty's arms.

"Great. Let's go then," May said excitedly.

* * *

"Ash should be on his way home right now," Delia Ketchum said, sounding excited. She couldn't wait to see her son again. How long had it been since he left? She sat on the couch, watching as Samuel ate his way through another batch of her cookies. It was no secret that he was quite fond of her recipe. "Apparently he's managed to get every badge again. He's very talented, isn't he?"

"Indeed," Samuel replied, swallowing his mouthful and reaching up to wipe crumbs from his mouth. "Ash has managed to get the badges from every region now. It's probably about time we discovered a brand new region for him to go off to. Isn't it funny how we only seem to be discovering them one after another?"

"Perhaps it's time we started learning geography," Delia quipped, her eyes sparkling with merriment. "I hope he doesn't have to go off too soon though, I miss having my boy around the house."

"Of course you do, Delia," Samuel said sympathetically, tilting his head. "I miss Gary as well. Even as a Pokemon researcher, he's too busy to come home often. But I'm looking forward to seeing him become the next Professor Oak."

The doorbell then chimed. "I'll get it," Delia said quickly, getting to her feet. "You just keep eating my cookies, Samuel." Samuel watched her leave, an eyebrow raised. Of course, only Delia would go and answer his own door for him.

Delia opened the door, letting out a cry of joy as she saw Ash standing on the doorstep, with Pikachu on his shoulder. Brock was also standing behind them. Pikachu let out a happy cry and threw itself at Delia.

"Oh, Pikachu! It's great to see you again!" Delia gushed, happily embracing the little yellow mouse. Ash watched on in exasperation. Sometimes, Pikachu seemed to get even more attention than he ever did, and from his own mother too.

"Hey, Mom!" Ash went to hug her as well, smiling happily. "I'm finally home again. It seems like forever since I was last here."

"Hello, Mrs Ketchum," Brock spoke up, waving a hand.

"Oh, Brock's here this time," Delia noticed. "Hello, Brock, it's nice to see you. You're both in time to eat some of my cookies, so long as Professor Oak hasn't eaten them all yet. Let's go in now."

Soon, all the cookies had been polished off, leaving nothing but crumbs, and Ash was messily munching his way through the last one, while telling the stories of his journey to Delia and Samuel, with Brock occasionally chipping in to add something.

"It sounds like you have been having fun," Samuel remarked. "I bet you already can't wait to go to the next region, eh?"

"Yeah, but I guess I can wait a little longer," Ash said. "I want to spend some time at home for a bit. Don't you want to too, Pikachu?"

"Chaa!" Pikachu agreed, nodding eagerly.

"Well, I'll have to cook your favourite meals while you're at home then," Delia said. "It's nice to stay home once in a while, isn't it? I can spend a few days without worrying."

The front door suddenly opened, and Tracey's voice could be heard calling. "Hey, I'm back from shopping, and I brought some people along."

"We're in here, Tracey," Samuel Oak called back. Tracey then walked into the room, holding two bags. Behind him were May and Misty.

"Oh, so Ash and Brock are here too!" Tracey exclaimed. "Hey, you guys."

Once the greetings were out of the way and everyone had reconciled, May remembered her purpose for coming over in the first place. She quickly dropped her bag on the floor and started rummaging through the contents.

"Of course, I brought something along," May said hurriedly, struggling to find it within all the stuff in her bag. "Ah! Here it is!" She pulled it out, revealing it to be a gold and silver Pokeball. "I brought the GS Ball, Professor Oak."

"Oh, I forgot about that thing," Ash said, staring at it curiously. "So it opens now, but there's nothing in it, right?"

"What a waste of time," Misty murmured, pulling a face. "But at least we got to travel, I guess. It's just that we went to so much trouble over that thing."

"Oh, thank you, May," Samuel said excitedly, taking the GS Ball from her. "I know there's nothing in it, but I still want to take a quick look at it. I'll just be a few minutes." Before anybody could say anything, he had thrown on his lab coat and hurried away to the labs.

"Oh, Samuel," Delia sighed, shaking her head. "Sometimes, he's just so focused on his work."

"That's true," Tracey said, chuckling slightly. "But I always make sure he eats three meals a day, so he's never neglecting himself."

"So, uh, can someone explain to me what this is all about?" May asked, looking confused.

"It's not much. Some Professor was studying it, but couldn't open it, so we had to go and get it for Professor Oak, but he couldn't open it either, so he sent us off to Johto to give it to Kurt, and he managed to open it," Ash explained.

"Some Professor?" May raised an eyebrow. "Where from?"

"Oh, from the Orange Islands," Misty answered, not noticing Brock start to twitch. "We had to travel there by blimp. And she's the only woman Professor we've ever seen for some reason. Her name was Professor Ivy."

Ash and Pikachu jumped in shock as Brock suddenly crashed to the floor, moaning. Pikachu let out a quiet "Chu" and hung its head. Ash sighed. "You... still can't stand that name?"

"Oh, come on, Brock!" Misty snapped, scowling. "You're still not over it?"

"Um..." May decided it would be better not to ask, though she was now feeling extremely confused. "Am I going to get a reward for helping?"

"Well, I haven't thought of anything yet," Ash said, looking sheepish. "Is there anything you want?"

"Don't bother asking, May. You'll never get it," Misty quipped. "I wanted a new bike forever, but in the end, I just got my old one repaired, back from Nurse Joy."

"Hey, Misty, bikes aren't cheap, you know!" Ash protested.

"And Pikachu destroyed three bikes already," May murmured, shooting a stare at the electric mouse. "Does Pikachu have a deep hatred of bikes?"

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head, looking perplexed. The Pokemon had no idea why it would even hate bikes. The bikes just seemed to attract its attacks or something.

"Oh, I'm sure it's not Pikachu's fault," Delia spoke up. "I bet they are just accidents, that's all."

"Fairly coincidental accidents, but that could be the case," Brock agreed, sitting on the sofa. "Pikachu can't always control its attacks, right?"

"So, anyway, why is Professor Oak so interested in studying a fancy looking Pokeball?" May asked, sitting back. "Shouldn't it just be used to catch Pokemon or something?"

"Most Pokeballs don't have to be worked on and opened first," Ash said.

"I can't see the big deal myself," Misty said, frowning. "Especially now that it doesn't seem to be so much of a mystery anymore."

"Well, at any rate, Professor Oak seems very interested in it. He's a Pokemon Professor after all, it's his job," Tracey replied, glancing down at the bags on the floor. "Oh, I forgot about the shopping. I'm going to put away the stuff now." He picked up the bags and left.

Eventually, Samuel returned to find the group still talking animatedly in the living room. He stepped up, holding the GS Ball in his hand.

"I had a look at it, but there doesn't seem to be anything unusual about it," Samuel commented. "It really does just look like a gold and silver Pokeball to me. So, I phoned Professor-"

"Samuel," Delia said warningly, cutting him off.

"Oh, you're kidding, aren't you?" Samuel muttered under his breath, throwing a sideways glance at the startled Brock. "So, anyway, after studying it, I called the person who originally owned this and told her about everything we knew about it so far. Strangely enough, she doesn't seem to mind that it's empty."

"Does she want it back then?" Ash asked.

"Yes, in fact, she seemed quite eager to have it returned. Sadly, the GS Ball still can't be transported electronically," said Samuel. "So, I'm afraid that means we need a different way to get it to her."

"You want me to take it to the Orange Islands?" Ash asked, almost fearing the response. He had been looking forward to a nice, long stay at home.

"Oh, you don't mind, Ash?" Samuel looked at him hopefully, then glanced at Delia. "I'm sorry, Delia, I hope you don't mind, but Ash won't be gone long. He'll come straight back, right?"

"Fine. So long as it's not by blimp," Ash replied, shuddering at the memory. After suffering two blimp crashes, no thanks to Team Rocket, he had no desire to get on another one and especially not where the Orange Islands were concerned.

"Ooh, can I come?" May suddenly jumped up and sat between Ash and Brock, grabbing Ash by the arm and giving him wide eyes. "I've never been there. I want to come and see what it's like."

"Ah, okay," Ash said, relenting. "We won't be there very long though."

"I'm not going to come. I've got to stay at the Gym," Misty said.

"No..." Brock said in a terse voice, an anxious expression on his face. He looked over at Ash. "Ash, I don't think you should go there."

"But, Brock, he's just going to run an errand for Professor Oak," May protested. "And I want to see the place. I've never even seen the Orange Islands before."

"You don't have to go with him," Misty said in a faintly nasal tone, not understanding quite what Brock meant. "I think he's just worried you'll drag him along, Ash. He's still scared of that woman after all."

"But... it might be dangerous..." Brock muttered, his head sinking as he struggled to find the words. He had kept it a secret for a long time now, but perhaps the time had come to tell them the truth. "Because..."

"Dangerous? Nonsense!" Samuel exclaimed. "Anyway, I've got to go and check on some data. Here you go, Ash." He handed over the GS Ball. "Feel free to let yourselves out, and thanks very much for the cookies, Delia." Then the Professor turned and left the room, leaving them all alone.

"Brock, the only thing that's dangerous is your imagination." Misty sighed. A disbelieving expression was firmly plastered on her face.

"Why don't we go to my house now?" Delia stood up. "We can talk there. It's not polite to hang at Professor Oak's place all day when he's got work to do, is it?"

Once at Ash's home, after a quick meal, Ash, Brock, May and Misty were all sitting in Ash's room, while Delia tended to her gardening. Brock was still seeming down, though he hadn't yet said why that was.

"Brock, will you please tell us what's wrong?" May asked. She could tell he was obviously serious about this. "Is there a reason why Ash shouldn't go?"

"This really isn't just him being phobic, right?" Misty glanced up from the magazine she read as she lay on the floor. Azurill was bouncing around the room, playing with Pikachu.

"Professor Oak asked me to do this," Ash said, lying on the top bunk of his bed and gazing at the ceiling. "I don't know what's so risky about it. I'm not going to go on a blimp this time."

"I suppose I've hidden this long enough," Brock said, looking up. "There's something about that place that none of you know of. I was unlucky enough to discover this awful secret myself. That's why... I ended up running back here..."

"A dark secret?" May gasped, sitting forward on the bed. Already, she wanted to know all the juicy details. "Do tell me! I mean, us. Yeah, tell us." She chewed on her thumbnail, looking shifty. Great, now she probably seemed morbid.

"Alright, I'm listening. What really happened on Valencia Island?" Misty asked, putting down the magazine. She'd assumed Brock had simply embarassed himself, but right now, that didn't seem to be the case. Ash was also listening, leaning over the side of the bed with a wide-eyed stare.

"Well, at first, I was having a nice time on Valencia Island, being a lab assistant and all that," Brock said. "The Professor seemed friendly enough, and her other assistants, also seemed like perfectly nice people. So, there I was, doing chores, taking care of the Pokemon around the reserve."

He then paused and cleared his throat. "However, soon, the women started acting kind of strange around me, either that, or I only just began to notice it. They were often going away in secret and would be whispering to each other and throwing nervous looks at me. Kind of, like they were hiding something from me."

"The dark secret, right?" May whispered, her eyes growing huge.

"I also noticed that the Pokemon often seemed distressed, no matter what kind of food I gave them," Brock continued. "It was like they sensed something, some kind of danger, but I had no idea what it was then."

"It must have been pretty serious to upset the Pokemon." Ash frowned. Could that Professor Ivy had done something to them? Surely not, a Pokemon Professor wouldn't do such a thing, or so, he hoped.

"Then I found this door that I hadn't noticed before. It was locked though," Brock said. "I asked... uh..."

"Professor Ivy?" Misty prompted, causing Brock to wince.

"Y-yes..." Brock shivered. He was still finding himself sensitive to the mention of that name. He couldn't even think about her without having a sudden palpitation of fear, and couldn't bring himself to say the name he feared so much. "I asked her about the door and she froze up, then told me I should never, ever go through that door. Her voice and the look on her face as she said it... it was frightening."

"But you went through this door, right?" May asked.

"I never brought it up again," Brock said, sighing. "But, still, I was curious about it. One night, I couldn't sleep, so I got up and went to get myself a drink of water. It was late at night already and everyone was asleep. As I passed by the door again, I saw the key in the lock. Someone must have got distracted and forgotten to take it out."

"So, obviously, you went in, right?" Ash asked. "What was behind the door?" He didn't even bother to disguise the excitement in his voice.

"Ash, this doesn't sound like something to be excited about," Misty scolded. "Sense the tone!"

"Tone?" Ash repeated, his face blank.

May let out a sigh and shook her head. "Keep going, Brock. Ash's slow today."

"Hey!" Ash cried indignantly.

"I wish I hadn't gone into that room now." Brock swallowed, shuddering at the memory of what had lay within that mysterious room. "As soon as I stepped in... the smell. I remember smelling it first. An awful, rotten smell."

"Rotten?" Misty whispered, her face paling. "Then... what was it? Was she keeping a bunch of Gloom in there?"

"I then turned the light on and saw what was in that room. There was blood everywhere," Brock said heavily. "As well as some carcasses I guess hadn't been thrown out. Pokemon carcasses, that is."

"What?" Ash yelled, sitting straight up with a horrified expression. "What happened to those Pokemon?"

"It wasn't hard to tell." Brock clenched a fist, gritting his teeth as he remembered the bloody display. To think that Pokemon had been treated in that way... "There were knives and other tools lying around. Obviously... they were used on the Pokemon in that very room."

"That's..." Misty broke off as her Azurill ran into her arms, crying in fear. "Now Azurill is upset!"

"Hey, Pikachu, it's okay," Ash said quickly as Pikachu scampered up to him and clung to his arm, shivering. "Nobody will hurt you. But... how could someone hurt Pokemon like that? Why?" He shook with anger.

"Poor Pokemon," May whispered, placing a hand over her mouth. Her eyes sparkled with horrified tears. "I can't believe someone would do that."

"Obviously, Professor... Ivy... had been working on something in that room," Brock murmured, struggling to control his voice. "I looked around further, trying to ignore the smell and the sight of blood. Then I saw it. This deformed creature, a bulging mass of flesh, inside a tube. It looked sort of like a Pokemon, but not a recognisable one. In fact... I think it was made out of them."

"Really?" Ash's eyes widened. "Made out of... then... it was created out of parts or something?"

"And that's probably what the corpses were used for," Misty whispered tearfully, tightening her grip on Azurill. "That's just... sick."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu wailed, jumping at Ash's chest and crying noisily. Ash anxiously patted the distressed mouse, a tense look on his face. He just couldn't believe it was possible, for someone out there to do such things to the innocent POkemon.

"I found some notes and looked at them quickly," Brock said in a hoarse voice. "She really was making something out of Pokemon, and she codenamed it the Ultimate Pokemon. After that, I was feeling so sick, I got out of there quickly. I remembered to lock the door and returned to bed. The next day, I packed my stuff up and left without a word. I don't think she knows I ever discovered it."

"Wow... I wasn't expecting something like that..." May said glumly, gazing at the floor. "This Professor Ivy sounds really evil."

"Now I'm not sure I want to even go," Ash murmured, gazing at the GS Ball. He didn't think he could face that woman after hearing about what she had done.

"Are you kidding me?" Misty jumped to her feet. "She can't get away with this! This woman is harming Pokemon, even killing them, and you're just going to let her keep on doing whatever she likes? That evil Professor has to be stopped!"

"I should have mentioned it earlier," Brock said tightly. "How many more Pokemon must have perished because I was so afraid to say anything? If only I had spoken up sooner."

"If she's creating something called the Ultimate Pokemon, it doesn't sound good," Ash said, getting down from the top bunk and standing. "She might have finished making it already."

"Well, let's go then!" May cried out, getting up. "We'll go see if that freak of nature's finished or not. If it isn't, we make sure it never is, and we'll call the local Officer Jenny and tell her about that Pokemon Professor too!"

"Hey, you two, don't you remember it might be dangerous?" Brock asked. Then he paused, thinking about it. "Oh, that's right, we've been in dangerous situations before and we've handled them just fine. This can't be much worse. You're right, let's go and do something about it. I just wish I'd been stronger last time..."

"Don't blame yourself," May protested. "If I saw the horrible things you did, I'd be scared as well. You did the right thing in finally telling us though."

"Well, I hope you'll all be alright," Misty said, biting her lower lip pensively. "I would like to come and teach her a lesson too, but I've got to return to the Cerulean Gym. I said I would only be gone a little while."

"That's okay, Misty," Ash said. "We can deal with it ourselves. Those poor Pokemon must be avenged," he declared, raising a fist.

"Pi," Pikachu agreed, nodding its head in determination as it sat on Ash's shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

I really should be quicker with writing this fic. I like to be in sync with the anime in Japan (with Pokemon rosters and such), so it would be rather bad if something got contradicted at the last minute. Also, I shouldn't slack off when things are getting exciting now, should I? There's just a lot of conversation in this chapter, so it was hard to write at times. Next chapter should definitely be more fun to write.

* * *

"I'm hungry," James moaned, slumping over the side of the basket and letting out a sigh. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, glancing at Jessie who was currently sitting in the corner of the basket and studying a manual on mechanics. "Jessie, can't we go and find somewhere to eat before we work on another machine?"

"We have to catch that Pikachu first!" Jessie exclaimed, holding up a fist and giving him a determined look. "Then when we've caught that electric rat and handed it over to the boss, maybe he will give us lots of money and food as a reward and we'll be the most famed Grunts in all of Team Rocket." She let out a rapturous sigh, her eyes sparkling.

"But every time we try to catch Pikachu, we end up blasting off," Meowth complained, jumping up onto the side of the basket and rubbing his empty stomach. "I would at least like to blast off with a full stomach."

"It's hopeless," James muttered, reaching up to brush back his silky, purple bangs in exasperation. "Anyway, I don't think we have very much money at the moment. We need to get another part time job or we're going to end up starving in a gutter."

"Come on, you two, be positive!" Jessie jumped up, her long, red hair swinging from side to side as she moved. She walked over to the side of the basket, putting herself between James and Meowth. "I've said this before, if we keep trying, then we are definitely going to get Pikachu. We just need to keep trying our best and one day those twerps are bound to slip up and let us get away."

"We should be over Pallet Town now," James said, lifting a pair of binoculars and looking through them. He carefully scanned the ground beneath, noticing the buildings. "I think that looks like Professor Oak's laboratory. Why don't we try and steal the Pokemon from there as well? There must be some great, rare Pokemon there."

"But I heard that even Butch and Cassidy tried to rob the place and they ended up being blasted off," Meowth said, looking rather doubtful. "Anyway, that twerp with Pikachu keeps most of his Pokemon there. Do we really want to meet them again?"

"Concentrate on Pikachu," Jessie said firmly. "But if we can grab some other Pokemon as well, that would be great. Isn't that the twerp's house right there, with the red roof?"

"Oh, what's this?" James asked suddenly, leaning further forward. Jessie and Meowth crowded around him, trying to see what had caught his interest, but all they saw were tiny moving specks on the ground below that seemed to be going in a direction away from Ash's house. "It's those twerps. Pikachu's owner, the squinty eyed boy and that brunette girl."

"Eh?" Jessie wrenched the binoculars away from James and looked through them at the people below. "Why is that girl back here? It looks like they are going somewhere. They have their bags with them. Could they be off travelling to some place?"

"Why don't we follow them?" Meowth suggested, smirking deviously. "Then when they are least expecting it, we will swoop down and grab that Pikachu!" Jessie and James also exchanged devious grins, excited at the thought of claiming Pikachu and being able to deliver the powerful electric mouse to their boss.

As Ash, May and Brock walked away from the Ketchum residence, they were unaware of the Meowth balloon that had begun to drift after them, silently pursuing. Misty and Delia stood at the door to Ash's house, watching the trio leave.

"Everyone has been looking so serious this morning," Delia said suddenly, turning to look at Misty with a faintly confused expression. "Hardly anyone was smiling and I even made my special pancakes with syrup. Is there something wrong?"

Misty returned the gaze uncertainly, not sure how much she should really say. She didn't want to make Delia worry for her son's safety. "Well, I don't think Brock's too happy about going there and Ash probably doesn't want to leave again so soon, right, Mrs Ketchum?" She forced a smile. How could she tell Delia about that thing in Valencia Island's lab?

"I suppose that would be the case," Delia murmured, though she didn't seem to be entirely convinced. "This isn't going to be one of those dangerous situations that Ash keeps getting himself into, is it?"

"I hope not," Misty said quietly, hugging her chest with her arms and frowning. "I sure hope that won't be the case."

The two continued to watch until Ash and company were well out of sight. Neither of them had noticed Team Rocket's balloon in the sky either. Delia let out a wistful sigh and turned, forcing a smile.

"Well, I'm going to work on my garden now," Delia said. "Would you like to stay a while, Misty?"

"Actually, I was planning to go to Professor Oak's and talk to Tracey for a bit, then I would go back home," Misty replied, stepping onto the doorstep. "See you, Mrs Ketchum."

As Misty left, Delia backed up and shut the door in front of her. She turned to Mimey, who was busy sweeping the floor. "Well, Mimey, looks like it's just the two of us again."

* * *

"I wonder why we aren't bringing Tracey along," Ash said thoughtfully, glancing in the direction of Professor Oak's laboratory. "You would think he would like to come to the Orange Islands with us, if he came from there." He paused, still in thought. "But then again he's never even talked about his family. I wonder if he even has any?"

"You are asking the wrong people, Ash. Hey, why don't you tell me about Sinnoh?" May asked, her eyes lighting up. "I've heard of the contests there and apparently you get to wear pretty dresses and do double appeals too. I sure would like to go to Sinnoh next and see what the contests are like." She smiled as she imagined herself dressed up, on the stage, while people cheered her on.

"Yeah, the contests there are different to Kanto's and Hoenn's," Ash replied. "I'm sure you would have a lot of fun doing them. Are Drew and Harley going to be over there for the contests as well?"

"Well, I did get a card with a rose inviting me over there," May muttered, blushing slightly. "No prizes for guessing who sent it. I don't know about going to Sinnoh yet though, I would like to spend some time at home with my family. There's plenty of time for me to become one of the best coordinators in the world after all. They loved me in Johto."

"Including Drew, huh?" Ash teased. May's blush deepened and she shot him an annoyed, yet flustered glare. "He definitely seems to have something for you, sending all those roses. Roses aren't cheap, are they, Brock?"

"No, they aren't." Brock gazed wistfully into the sky with a despondent expression. "If only roses were cheaper, then I would have one for every girl that I have fallen in love with, or even better, a giant bouquet for each of them. What girl wouldn't want several huge bouquets of roses?"

"Okay, Brock, we're used to you being a little girl crazy now and then, but right now you are just being really creepy," May muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. "I wonder if they have contests in the Orange Islands. I wouldn't mind just entering one while we are there."

"We aren't going on a trip, you know..." Brock reminded her, raising an eyebrow. Was May actually going along to help them or for sightseeing? He decided it would be better not to ask however. "We're just taking the ship to Valencia Island, and then, whatever happens there... we'll come back."

"Yeah. We're just going there to stop that evil professor." Ash wondered what would happen over there. He had the feeling that things might end up being dangerous, as Brock had feared, but he had been in many dangerous situations before. This would be nothing compared to the adventures they had gone through. "I don't think we'll have time for you to enter any contests."

"Eh, I was only kidding anyway." May grinned. "I know we've got more important things to do. But it's just been so long since we've done anything together and I can't help but feel a bit excited even though it's so serious." She broke off, letting out a long sigh. "I still can't believe people like that exist though."

"I know what you mean. Even after meeting someone like Paul, I'm having trouble believing it." Ash then noticed May's confused expression as she stared at him. "Oh, right, I didn't tell you about him yet, did I? He was my rival in Sinnoh and I ended up losing to him in the league." He didn't even mask his disappointment as he talked about his defeat. "Anyway, he was quite harsh on his Pokemon, especially his Chimchar, who is my Infernape now. But at least he didn't cut them into bits."

"Chuuuu..." Pikachu hung his ears as he walked along the ground, distressed by the thought of such cruelty. He looked sadly up at Ash. "Pikapi... pikachu?"

"It's going to be okay, Pikachu." Ash beckoned for him to come on his shoulder, which Pikachu promptly did. He then rubbed the small mouse Pokemon's head comfortingly. "We'll make sure that she can't hurt any more Pokemon, whatever we have to do." He paused, looking at Pikachu's sad expression. "You feel sad about the dead Pokemon too, don't you? It's so awful, just thinking that anybody could be capable of doing that."

"If she would even butcher Pokemon, what might she try to do to us?" May asked, shivering at the thought. "If we turn up, trying to put an end to her evil schemes, she isn't going to back down so easily, is she? She's obviously crazy."

"I said it would be dangerous there. I haven't changed my mind." Brock pressed his lips together, looking grim. "The Professor might seem like a friendly woman on the outside, but on the inside, she is pure evil. We will have to be very careful. There's no knowing what she might try to do."

"You know what Dawn would be saying if she was with us? She would be telling us no need to worry," Ash said, looking at Brock. "We could really do with some of her positive attitude right now."

"Well, you've got me," May spoke up, pouting slightly. "I am a positive person, right?"

"Yeah, of course, May," Ash said quickly. "Dawn was just the type of person who would say it all the time. And I mean all the time. That didn't mean things were always fine though."

"It sounds like you had a lot of fun in Sinnoh." May let out a quiet, wistful sigh. "I really missed travelling with you guys, though I was having fun in Johto too. It wasn't quite the same by myself."

"We'll tell you all about the trip to Sinnoh while we're on the ship to the Orange Islands," Ash said. "It was great. I'm sure you would like it a lot if you go. But you must get pretty lonely by yourself sometimes, huh?"

"Kind of, but I have my Pokemon." May smiled. "I'm never really alone with them."

"We should be at the harbour soon," Brock said, reading the map he held in his hands. "Just a few more miles ahead. Then we'll catch the next ferry to the Orange Islands." He then folded up the map and put it away in his pocket. "Never thought I would end up going back, or wanted to for that matter. But I know that we have to do this."

* * *

"Hey, what's this?" Meowth peered through the binoculars. He could see a clear view of the ocean from the balloon's vantage position in the sky as well as the nearby harbour. "It looks like the twerp trio is gonna be sailing away."

"Perhaps they are sailing to another region?" James asked excitedly, leaning over the balloon's basket and gazing out at the sea. "This must be another opportunity to make Team Rocket's name well known in a brand new region where they have no idea who we are."

"The Boss is going to be very pleased with us." Jessie clasped her hands, her eyes sparkling in delight. "We have made Team Rocket famous in Hoenn and Sinnoh, and now in a third region. At this rate, we're definitely going to get a promotion."

"Wait, doesn't this seem kind of strange, guys?" Meowth lowered the binoculars, looking up at his team members. "When the twerp boy went to Hoenn and Sinnoh, he went all by himself, even though the squinty one ended up following him there anyway. I wonder if they really are going to another region."

"Well, let's just follow them and find out where they are going and what they are up to!" Jessie exclaimed. "When we are following and trying to steal Pikachu, all that matters is that we stay on their trail at all times."

"I wonder if there's going to be food on their ship," James said, trying unsuccessfully to ignore his growling stomach. He could barely remember the last time that he had a decent meal. "Why don't we sneak onto it and find out?"

"That's a great idea." Meowth grinned, looking pleased at the prospect of free food and without having to pay for tickets beforehand. As usual, money was scarce. "Let's lower this balloon then and wait for that ship to come in. Free food, here we come!" He rubbed his paws together, his grin changing to a smirk.

The balloon then drifted toward the ground, disappearing into the trees. By the time Team Rocket had finished packing up the balloon as well as their things, the ferry had arrived at the harbour, signalling its arrival with a loud blast of the horn. The trio remained out of sight as they watched Ash, May and Brock walk onto the ferry. Pikachu was still in his vantage point upon Ash's shoulder.

Nobody saw Team Rocket quickly jump into the water and swim over to the ferry beneath the water's surface. They re-emerged on the other side of the ship where nobody could see them and ascended the wall, using special equipment to aid them. Meowth was first, using his claws to carefully remove one of the small windows in the side of the ship. The glass fell smoothly out of the frame and he jumped through, landing on the floor. There was no-one else in the room, so entry was successful so far. Jessie and James were next through and now they were all in. The three walked through the empty room of crates, leaving puddles on the floor as they moved around.

The only exit out of the room was a single door. Jessie slowly opened it and they peered out through the gap to see an empty hallway. With the coast clear, they were able to slip out of the room unseen. The trio then walked quietly through the hall, hoping that they wouldn't be caught. It wouldn't do for anyone to find them, especially while the ship was still in the harbour. If that was the case, they would just be thrown off and the chance for free food would be lost.

"Psst." Meowth stopped and pointed at a door with a sign. The sign read "Changing Room" in large letters. The trio exchanged grins and quickly entered the empty room. They were able to find a pile of freshly laundered outfits sitting in a box. After a quick change, Jessie and James walked back out of the locker room dressed as sailors. Meowth followed behind them, wearing only a shirt and cap. The three hurried toward the top of the ship, luckily not catching anyone's attention on the way there.

"There's the food!" James exclaimed as the three found their way to the dining area. A long buffet table stretched across one end of the room. The delighted Rockets rushed to the table, grabbing plates and heaped as much food as they could upon their plates. They then sat at a table and happily filled their stomachs with free food, which was devoured in seconds. The satisfied trio leaned back in their chairs, sighing in happiness.

"Hey, look at that!" Ash exclaimed as he walked into the dining room with May and Brock. "There's a buffet here. Come on, Pikachu, let's go and get some grub." He hurried toward the buffet table, quite unaware of Jessie, James and Meowth watching him cautiously.

"Ash, how can you possibly eat at a time like this?" May grumbled, looking exasperated. The thought of confronting a lunatic woman who had ensured the gruesome deaths of many Pokemon was definitely not helping her appetite. Evidently, Ash didn't suffer from a weak stomach like she did. "I am feeling way too nervous to eat a thing."

"He didn't eat much this morning, even though his mom made pancakes. I guess his stomach won in the end," Brock guessed. "Free food is hard to pass up anyway."

"Well, hello!" A female sailor with long, red hair suddenly popped up in front of them. She leaned over, smiling and rubbing her hands. "So, are you Pokemon trainers off on a journey across the sea?"

"Yeah, that's right," May said uncomfortably, startled by the sudden appearance of an apparent stranger. "I mean, we are Pokemon trainers, but we aren't on a real journey right now."

"Then where are you going?" Another sailor with purple hair and green eyes appeared next to his companion. "Are you taking a nice vacation somewhere?"

"If you work here, shouldn't you know where we're going?" Brock asked doubtfully.

"We don't know everything," a third sailor, who was much shorter than the other two, snapped from his position in between his companions. Somehow, his appearance as a Meowth in a sailor outfit was not immediately apparent to Brock or May. "Just humour us, will ya?"

"What is up with these guys?" May raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. These people were acting kind of strange, but there didn't seem to be any harm in telling them. "We are just going to the Orange Islands for a couple of days. It's not exactly a vacation though."

"Eh? You are going back there?" James exclaimed in confusion. Jessie slapped a hand over his mouth in annoyance, silencing him.

"The Orange Islands, huh?" Jessie trilled. "We have been there before and it is quite a wonderful place. There are so many lovely islands there, such as, er... Satsuma Island... or... Mango Island?" She frowned, wondering if she was remembering the names right. All she could remember was that most of them were named after fruit.

"There are no such places!" Meowth snapped, feeling quite irked at his companions' bumbling. At this rate, the twerps would get suspicious and their cover would be blown. Meowth had no desire to be blasted off in the middle of the ocean. "Ahem, sorry about them," he said quickly, waving his paws as he smiled at May and Brock. "There are so many islands, it's hard to remember the names, and she isn't very good at it obviously."

"But mango?" May asked. "Mangoes aren't even related to oranges."

"It's still a tropical fruit!" Jessie protested in annoyance. That twerp girl was just as annoying as she remembered. She narrowed her eyes, looking sharply at the brunette.

"Which island are you visiting?" Meowth asked, struggling to hold onto his patience. If he got annoyed enough and used Fury Swipes, it would surely blow his own cover. "Maybe we can tell you something about it. Just think of us as personal tour guides."

"I already know more about Valencia Island than I want to," Brock said shortly. "May, let's go and join Ash at the buffet table. I think he's still loading his plate with food."

"He must be hungrier than we thought," May said in surprise, following Brock toward the buffet table and paying no further attention to the strange trio of sailors.

"Valencia Island, huh?" Jessie said, once the two were out of earshot. "I wonder why they would be going back there."

"Didn't the squinty twerp run away from there because he couldn't stand that Professor anymore?" James asked, trying to recall it. He at least remembered Brock having a deep fear of her name alone. "He sure didn't like the sound of her name anymore."

"So why is he going back there with the other twerps?" Jessie frowned. It didn't make much sense to her at all. Wouldn't he just stay very far away?

"That's what we're going to find out!" Meowth grinned. "Perhaps we'll even find out what really happened there. Oh, and of course, we'll have to grab Pikachu while we're over there."

The three then walked out of the dining area, exchanging devious grins. The twerps had no idea they were being followed to the Orange Islands. Snatching Pikachu would surely be a piece of cake this time, or so, Team Rocket hoped. For the rest of the journey, they simply stayed out of Ash's way, preferring not to risk exposing themselves too soon. The element of surprise was necessary in their new plan to snatch Pikachu and deliver him to the boss.

It wasn't until late in the morning on the next day that the ship approached the small island connected by a bridge to Hamlin Island. From there, it was a quick boat ride to Valencia Island. Team Rocket improvised by following them undetected in the Magikarp submarine.

Ash, May and Brock stood on the jetty at Valencia Island, looking out at the island before them. It was a nice looking island, but they knew of the dark secrets hidden within it, the very secrets that they would be confronting the local Professor over.

"Well... we're here at last," Ash said, forcing enthusiasm into his voice. He was feeling even more nervous than yesterday morning. "Somehow, I am actually feeling homesick." Pikachu added a small "Pika", nodding in agreement as he slumped on Ash's shoulder.

"I can understand why." May looked around, gazing at the scenery. Despite knowing what they had come for, she couldn't help but be entranced by nature. Were all the islands this pretty? A strangely coloured female Nidoran appeared for a second, but as May tried to get a better look at it, it disappeared behind a bush.

"Well then, let's head to the lab now," Brock said nervously, feeling quite uncomfortable to be back on the island which he had fled from a long time ago, swearing never to return there. "I'm sure she will be quite surprised to get a visit from us."

A few minutes after the three Pokemon trainers had walked away from the small jetty, Team Rocket hauled themselves up onto the dock and sat there, puddles forming beneath them. They had changed back into their regular uniforms once they switched to the Magikarp sub, having no need for the disguises anymore.

"Looks like the twerps are already gone," James said, looking around. "I wonder where they went to?"

"They probably went to the Professor's lab," Jessie said, squeezing water out of her hair. "Why else would they come out all the way here?"

"Let's hurry after them then!" Meowth exclaimed. "It's time to go get ourselves some Pikachu!"

Team Rocket hurried after Ash and company, having little idea of the dangers they would be walking into. All they could think of was getting Pikachu. The thought that danger lay ahead never occurred to them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Finally, it's time for the exciting stuff to happen!

* * *

Ash, May and Brock walked along the path leading toward the Pokemon laboratory, soon noticing the building in the distance. The number of wild Pokemon around began to increase as they came closer. Evidently, it was still a popular spot for Pokemon to gather, despite the terrible things that had happened inside. It was a place where they could hope to get Pokemon food and good care after all, since they trusted the Professor and her assistants to look after them. It was quite sobering to think about how many Pokemon must have had their trust broken by the person who was supposed to take care of them and lost their lives in the process. 

The trio walked into the small garden in front of the laboratory, immediately noticing one of the brunette assistants giving a handful of Pokemon food to an Oddish. None of the other assistants or Professor Ivy herself seemed to be around. The girl noticed the visitors and stood, turning to walk over and greet them.

"Welcome to the Orange Archipelago Pokemon Lab-" The girl broke off in midsentence as she recognised Brock standing among them. The younger boy with the hat was familiar too. He had to be the one who had taken the GS Ball for Professor Oak. The girl, however, she did not recognise. "Brock? What are you doing back here? After you took off so suddenly with no explanation, we were wondering what had happened."

"Who is this?" May whispered to Ash, looking at the girl in confusion. She was pretty sure the girl was not the Pokemon Professor.

"That's one of Professor Ivy's assistants," Ash whispered back. "I'm not sure which one though."

"Hello, Faith," Brock said awkwardly, trying to think of a lie quickly enough since he hardly wished to tell her right then that they were aware of the entire plan. It wasn't time for a confrontation yet and that would surely be with Professor Ivy, not one of her assistants. "I had to leave so quickly because of a family emergency and after that, I decided to travel with my friends again. I thought it would be easier to leave without saying anything."

"Oh, really?" Faith raised an eyebrow. "So that's why you suddenly left so early that morning? I see..." She didn't sound entirely convinced, but decided not to pursue the matter for now. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Professor Oak sent us here to deliver the GS Ball," Ash replied. "Since Professor Ivy wants to have it back, we're bringing it to her. Is she inside the lab right now?"

"Actually, she just nipped down to the store for some things. It's just me and Hope here right now, since Charity went with her too, but they won't be very long. You don't mind waiting, do you?" Faith asked. "You are welcome to go into the lab and wait in there if you like. I'm just feeding the Pokemon right now."

"Alright then, we'll do that." Ash nodded. If the Professor was out with one of the assistants and the remaining two were busy, then this was a good opportunity to look around. It couldn't be any less dangerous than whatever they had come to do. He headed toward the lab with Brock and May following, and they walked through the front door into the building.

"I can't help but feel a little creeped out in here," May said suddenly, rubbing her arms and frowning. "Just thinking about the stuff that's been going on in here is giving me the chills. No wonder you ran right out, Brock. This place definitely has an uneasy feeling about it."

"Chuuu..." Pikachu appeared to share May's sentiments as he shivered and snuggled close to Ash's head for comfort.

"You aren't thinking of doing anything while we're waiting, Ash?" Brock asked nervously. He had the horrible feeling that Ash was about to go into save the world mode, from the way he sounded.

"Of course I am!" Ash raised a fist, looking resolute. "We are going to that room and seeing what we can do. Maybe it isn't too late to put an end to this evil plan of hers. All we would have to do is sabotage it and call the police so that she can't do anything like restarting it. I won't let that Professor get away with what she's done."

"What if she comes back before we can do anything? We'd end up in a lot of trouble, but then again, we didn't come here for nothing." May let out a deep sigh. Maybe coming here hadn't been the safest idea. "So where is that room, Brock?"

"This might just put us in even more danger than we are facing but we can't just do nothing," Brock said in a resigned tone. When Ash had his mind set on something, it was difficult to persuade him otherwise. "Alright then, I'll show you where it is, but it might just be locked. Like that's going to stop us anyway."

The trio walked through the laboratory, Brock leading Ash and May into a hallway. They looked around warily as they proceeded, not knowing where the second assistant was after all. With luck, she would be busy just like Faith was right now and wouldn't catch them attempting to break and enter a private room. Their footsteps sounded ominously loud on the squeaky clean tiles as they walked, reminding them of the imminent threat of danger they could face at any given moment. Still, they walked on, refusing to let even a little fear drive them back.

Brock soon came to a stop in front of a door and turned around to face it. "It's this one," he said quietly, his mind automatically flashing back to that terrible time he had looked beyond the door and found unimaginable secrets within that room. Again he was feeling the sheer terror that had caused him to flee the lab in the early hours of the morning, horrified by the grisly sights, but he wouldn't run away this time.

Ash tentatively reached out and gripped the doorknob, twisting it in his hand. He gave the door a sharp push but it refused to budge. Ash released it and stepped back, placing his hands on his hips. "You're right, it's locked. Now what should we do? Maybe if there was a key around somewhere..." He turned, looking around for a suitable place where a key might be hidden such as a potted plant or even a mat.

"We don't have time for something like that!" May exclaimed, reaching for one of the Pokeballs attached to her belt. She pulled it off and pushed the button, making it grow larger in her hand. "If the door's locked, we'll just have to break it down. Come out, Blaziken!"

The fully evolved Fire starter appeared in a flash of red light streaming from the Pokeball. It blinked its eyes and looked around curiously, catching sight of Ash and Brock. Blaziken's eyes lit up with recognition and it let out a happy cry. Pikachu happily responded, waving a paw and smiling at his old friend.

"Well, this will certainly save us time," Brock said, also reaching for one of his Pokeballs. He quickly enlarged the red and white container. "Croagunk, I choose you!" In response, Croagunk appeared in a beam of red light and sat still, gazing ahead as its cheeks puffed out. The blue frog Pokemon seemed to be unaware of anything around it as usual.

"Then I've already thought of the perfect Pokemon for this," Ash said, quickly selecting a Pokeball and throwing it up in the air. "I choose you, Infernape!" On his command, a large fire monkey appeared inbetween Blaziken and Croagunk.

Now that there were three Pokemon out, their trainers quickly made it clear that the target was the door in front of them and prepared to call out their separate commands.

"Infernape, use Mach Punch!" Ash called out.

"Croagunk, use Brick Break!" Brock chimed in.

"Blaziken, Mega Kick!" May ordered.

The Pokemon obeyed, using their fighting moves against the door in unison. The resulting impact of all three attacks at once was enough to almost knock it off its hinges. The lock sharply broke and the door swung open, slamming against the other side of the wall with a loud thud. An eerie silence fell upon everyone as they looked into the dark room ahead of them. A sickly smell was already wafting out from within.

"Good job, Blaziken," May said in a soft voice, recalling her Pokemon. Brock and Ash recalled theirs as well as they praised them for a job well done. The three trainers silently approached the room.

"Careful," Brock suddenly warned. "There are steps leading down there. There should be a switch somewhere." He stepped in first, feeling around for the switch on the wall and hit it. An overhead light flickered on, illuminating the room with a weak glow. They cautiously walked down the narrow flight of steps, their feet making dull thuds on the cold stone. At the bottom of the steps, the three trainers stopped and looked around the dim room.

Nothing remained of the Pokemon who had died in this room, despite the fact that the thick smell of decay still lingered in the air. The only evidence that terrible things had happened here were the smell and the dried brown stains on the table in the center of the room, as well as the floor and even the walls. There were shelves on the walls, where clean tools and beakers were stashed. Thick binders and piles of paper had been neatly placed on the table. A soft hum sounded throughout the room, coming from the machinery at the opposite end of the room.

All eyes were drawn to the large tube among the machines. Bubbles swirled through the viscous fluid that surrounded the bulging mass of flesh that floated at the center of the tube. Even if Brock had seen the horrifying monstrosity before, he wasn't any less horrified than May and Ash were as the three slowly approached the tube, looking more closely at the thing within.

Ash didn't realise it, but as he gazed at the bulging mass of flesh, his body was shaking violently. Bile rose up in his gut and he had to swallow heavily to prevent himself from throwing up on the spot. May put a hand over her mouth and let out a loud, muffled sob as she tore her gaze away from the creature. She could not bear to look at it for a second longer. Brock looked at the tube sadly, shaking his head. How could someone possibly have made something so vile and sacrificed so many lives for it?

Pikachu broke the heavy silence, letting out a distressed cry and leaping from Ash's shoulder. Tears were pooling up in his eyes as he blindly ran across the room, wanting nothing more to get away from the thing that smelled of blood and death.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out, turning and attempting to run after the small mouse Pokemon, but something had already stopped Pikachu in his tracks. Pikachu stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring up in shock at the two shadowy figures blocking the doorway. Ash saw them as well. "We've been caught!" he yelled, assuming the worst.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?" one of the figures asked in a feminine voice.

"It's speaking to me loud and clear," added the other figure, a masculine voice this time.

"On the wind," said the female.

"Past the stars," said the male.

"In your ear!" spoke up the small figure between them that the trio had not noticed until now.

"Team Rocket!" Ash yelled in disbelief, running up to Pikachu protectively and glaring up at the people standing in the doorway. How could they be here at a time like this?

"Bringing chaos at a break neck pace," the female continued speaking.

"Dashing hope, bringing fear in its place," the male recited.

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet," the female spoke again.

"When everything's worse, our work is complete," the male said.

"That's their new motto?" May whispered, feeling weak in the knees. She had not heard it before, but she knew who those voices belonged to. It was just unbelievable to think they could be here right now. Did Team Rocket have no idea of the situation they had put themselves in?

"Jessie!" Jessie called out, striking a pose.

"James!" James also struck a pose as he announced his name.

"And Meowth, now that's a name!" The feline Pokemon grinned.

"Putting the do-gooders in their place..." Jessie recited.

"...Team Rocket..." James spoke.

"We're in your face!" The three cried out together.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime! Mime!"

"This can not be happening," Brock pleaded quietly, feeling dismayed. The situation was bad enough already without Team Rocket showing up. The worst they could possibly have hoped for was being caught before they had a chance to do anything, but now it seemed it could have got even worse after all.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ash exclaimed, clenching his fists. This was not a good time and he was sorely tempted to send the trio blasting off as quickly as possible somehow. "How did you even know that we would be here?"

"We're here to try and get that electric rat of course!" Jessie pointed a gloved finger at the yellow Pokemon, her lips curving into a smile. "When we saw you twerps leaving Pallet Town, we followed you in our balloon and then sneaked onto that ship."

"When we heard you were going to Valencia Island for some reason, well, we just had to come along." James smiled. "Now we'll be taking that Pikachu off your hands, if you don't mind."

"Wait a minute!" May exclaimed, rushing up to Ash's side and looking at them in shock. "Then were you those three sailors asking us weird questions?"

"That's right!" Meowth chuckled, placing his paws on his hips smugly. "Now, we don't know why you are in a place... what is that smell?" He recoiled, holding a paw over his nose in disgust.

"Hey, you're right, it does smell." Jessie sniffed, grimacing as she realised just how bad it was. "I just assumed that someone had gone and floated the air biscuits in here."

"Why is there blood everywhere?" James looked around, staring at the brown stains everywhere. His gaze fell upon the tube with the mass of flesh contained within. "Uh, what is in that tube?"

"You have no idea what is going on!" Brock said angrily, joining Ash and May. "If you don't want to be in danger, you should turn around right now and leave. That tube contains a twisted and evil experiment and the person who made that thing is not going to be happy when she realises she has visitors in here."

"She?" Jessie repeated, her eyes widening. "Are you talking about that Professor?"

"Pi! Pikachu pika pi pikachu pikapika!" Pikachu exclaimed, sounding distressed.

"That thing in the tube is made out of Pokemon?" Meowth asked in a hushed voice. Jessie and James gasped, looking stunned. "You mean she killed them... and..." He broke off as Pikachu silently nodded. "No... that can't be possible..."

"This isn't good," James whispered, his face paling. "I think we should get out of here right now."

"It's too late for that!" Jessie exclaimed in a hushed voice as she heard footsteps approaching. "I can hear somebody coming this way."

The startled Rockets ran down the stairs, looking for a place to hide. Ash, May and Brock stood still, watching as they frantically crouched below the stairs in the corner, hoping that the shadows cast there would be enough to hide them from view. Even if Team Rocket was going to hide, Ash and his friends would not. They remained in place, nervously listening to the sound of footsteps growing louder.

Brock quietly gasped, automatically freezing as he saw a familiar woman in a white lab coat appear in the doorway. She was still the same, with her short purple hair and those hooded eyes that had never once betrayed the evil lurking deep inside. Ash recognised her as well and tensed, his lips pressing tightly together as he gazed at the woman who had brought about the deaths of countless Pokemon. May looked questioningly at Ash and Brock, understanding once she saw their expressions. So, the woman standing in the doorway was indeed Professor Ivy, it seemed.

"Well..." Professor Felina Ivy gazed at the trio, her eyes narrowing. A cold smile plastered itself on her face. "It looks like I have some rather unruly visitors." She turned her head, looking at the chips of broken plaster scattered on the top step, debris resulting from the door being pounded against. "It's quite rude to go breaking down people's doors."

"Professor Ivy..." Ash struggled to control his shaky voice as he spoke. "We know all about what you have been doing in this room. What that thing inside the tube is... and what you did to make that."

Professor Ivy gazed levelly at Ash with a cool stare. "Oh, is that so?" Her eyes flickered toward Brock. "I found that I had left my key left in the lock once. It was around the same time you suddenly left without a word strangely enough. It didn't take long to put two and two together and figure out that you must have seen my experiment."

"I made a mistake by staying silent all this time," Brock said grimly. "I should have known better and done my best to put an end to this. How many innocent Pokemon did you have to butcher to create such a monstrosity?"

"Yes, Brock, you should have known better." Professor Ivy chuckled softly. "Thanks to your silence, my project is just about complete. There is only one more thing that I need to ensure that things go as planned." She began walking slowly down the steps. Ash, Brock and May backed up against the table as she approached the floor. Pikachu shied behind Ash, clinging fearfully to his leg.

"Just one more thing that you need?" Ash repeated, sounding reviled. "What, you need to cut apart another Pokemon? Is that it?"

"No, that is not it. I was able to find a Pokemon of every single type, so I don't have to destroy another one," Professor Ivy replied, her lips twitching into a smirk. "Professor Oak called me to tell me you would be on your way, Ash. Now, why don't you hand it over?"

"You mean, the GS Ball?" Ash's hand strayed to his pocket, where the gold and silver Pokeball was. "Does this have something to do with that evil experiment of yours?"

"That is correct. It proved to be a nice distraction and I thought people would enjoy figuring out how to open it. Trust old Kurt to be the one to figure out how eventually," Professor Ivy said. "Of course, I knew how to open it the whole time. It was just a little game. As you should know, that is no ordinary Pokeball."

"Well... what is it for then?" Ash asked, his mouth feeling dry. If he had known that the GS Ball was necessary to Professor Ivy's plan somehow, then he wouldn't have bothered bringing it to her. By delivering it here, they had effectively been helping her out. The very thought of it made him feel sick.

"It is for containing the Ultimate Pokemon," Professor Ivy responded. "The most powerful and perfect Pokemon, it is capable of using any move and instead of just being one or two elements, it is all of them. In turn, it means that it is resistant to them all."

"That's impossible," May said softly. "There is no Pokemon in the world like that."

"Oh, but my little experiment would disagree with you." Professor Ivy pulled her lips back in a sneer. "I worked very hard to combine as many Pokemon of every type into one. It doesn't matter how many Pokemon I had to kill. They were necessary sacrifices in order to create the perfect Pokemon."

"The perfect Pokemon... you are insane!" Brock yelled. "All Pokemon can be strong in their own way, often depending on how their trainer raises them. Why is it necessary to make one stronger than the rest? Those Pokemon had lives of their own and they didn't deserve to go under your knife just so that you could play God!"

"Hmm... yes, that is what I am doing, I suppose. An interesting way of phrasing it," Professor Ivy murmured, her gaze moving toward the tube at the end of the room. "I was able to create life with my own hands. I will go down in history as the Professor who didn't just create or clone a Pokemon, I made one so perfect and so powerful. People will look up to me and worship me and my beautiful creation."

"I still don't understand... why do you need the GS Ball for it?" Ash exclaimed, trembling. The woman standing in front of them really was insane. "What is wrong with a regular Pokeball?"

"The GS Ball has special qualities that you could not even begin to understand," Professor Ivy replied, looking back at him with cold eyes. "I am growing tired of all these questions. Now why don't you just hand over the GS Ball and leave?"

"No way!" Ash clenched his fists. He refused to do anything that would help her with this evil schene. The woman was crazy and pure evil. May quietly gasped, looking at him with wide, blue eyes. "I am not going to do anything for someone like you! What you've done... it's completely wrong, it's cruel and it's evil... I'm not going to let you get away with this!"

"Huh. I liked you better when you were naive and obedient, following orders without question." Professor Ivy closed her eyes, looking resigned as she shook her head. "Then it seems that I have no choice. If you are going to refuse, I'll just have to make you do what I say." She opened her eyes again and slowly reached into her labcoat, her mouth curving into a chilling smile. Her hand gripped a cold, metal object snugly contained within an inner pocket and she carefully withdrew it.

May let out a horrified cry, clapping her hands over her mouth as she saw the shiny metallic gun in Ivy's hand. Ash felt a slow chill trickle down his spine and his eyes widened in fear as Ivy raised the gun, aiming it straight at him.

"I don't think you are in a position to defy me anymore," Professor Ivy said in a soft, taunting voice, her smile widening as she saw the terror in Ash's dark brown eyes. "Now why don't you just hand it over?"

"You will stop at nothing to get what you want, won't you?" Brock sounded plainly disgusted with her tactics. Pointing a gun at someone just to get what she wanted was nothing short of cowardly and he feared that she wouldn't hesitate to shoot if she had to.

"I will do anything I have to," Professor Ivy said calmly, her thumb grazing the safety catch as she watched Ash levelly, her gaze never moving away from the young boy. "Having the blood of Pokemon on my hands is nothing. The blood of human beings... is also nothing, if this is what I must do."

"But that's murder!" May cried out in horror, her eyes widening. "How can you be so... so... cold and evil?"

Ash slipped his hand into his pocket, shivering as he gazed down the barrel of the gun. Beads of sweat were forming on his skin. Just looking at the gun in her hand terrified him. She was willing to kill anyone to get her way. He hadn't been expecting something like this to happen at all. His breath whistled through his clenched teeth as he wrapped his fingers around the metal sphere contained within.

"Pikapi..." Pikachu said quietly, looking up at him with wide, fearful eyes. He did not want to see Ash get hurt at all.

"I won't hesitate to put a hole or two in you if you refuse," Professor Ivy said coldly. "Next would be Brock, and that girl with you, then your precious little Pikachu. I really think that you have no choice."

Ash lowered his gaze and froze as he saw what was happening behind the Professor. Professor Ivy seemed to be blissfully unaware of Team Rocket's presence and it seemed that Jessie and James were taking advantage of it as they sneaked up on her. Obviously, they were aiming to disarm her, but it could go so horribly wrong. What if she kept her hold on the gun and then someone got shot?

"Well?" Professor Ivy lowered the safety catch and cocked the gun with a chilling click that everyone heard. "Are you going to give me the GS Ball or not?"

"Just tell me one thing first," Ash said in a tight voice, staring into Professor Ivy's eyes defiantly. He needed to keep her distracted while Team Rocket did whatever they were planning to do. "When you were killing those Pokemon in this room, did you ever feel sorry about what you were doing?"

The edges of Professor Ivy's mouth curled up into a wide smile and she let out a soft chuckle. "No," she answered. "I never felt the tiniest shred of remorse, not even as I cut up those Pokemon. Some of them were still alive too."

"Get down!" Ash suddenly leaped aside and knocked May to the floor, throwing himself upon her. Brock instinctively ducked, just as James sprang up and tackled Professor Ivy from behind. The Professor let out a scream of shock and rage as she felt his arms around her. Jessie quickly joined in, grabbing Professor Ivy's arm, as the two struggled to get the gun away from her.

During the tussle, the gun went off and a loud shot rang out through the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Well, that was a fun way to end the last chapter. Unfortunately, that's not the last cliffhanger coming up. It's a bumpy ride indeed...

* * *

After that loud shot, there was only silence. Everyone was stunned by the sound of the gun going off, shocked by that loud bang that had echoed in their eardrums. Smoke wafted from the tip of the pistol, now securely held within Jessie's hand after she had managed to pry it from Professor Ivy's hand. In her frantic effort to get the firearm away, the gun had accidentally gone off. Jessie shakily pointed it at Professor Ivy in a threatening manner, although she seemed too distracted to try anything else as she stared straight ahead. James released his grip on her and took a step back, drawing in a deep breath. 

"No..." Professor Ivy's eyes widened as she looked at the opposite wall, directly at the tube. Ash, Brock and May slowly got up, turning to look in the direction of her gaze. A small bullet hole was faintly visible in the glass, near the top. The bullet didn't appear to have hit the creature inside however. As everyone gazed at the tube in horror, cracks spread out from the small bullet hole, accompanied by loud noises that cut through the silence like a knife. Within seconds, the entire tube was covered in a web of thin hairline cracks. With a loud shattering sound, the glass fell away and crashed to the floor in small, glittering fragments. Liquid flowed out and splashed to the floor, creating a wide puddle in its wake.

The bulging mass of flesh remained where it was, hovering in the air despite the lack of fluid to support it. Professor Ivy rushed toward the tube, her face a mask of panic as she imagined her experiment coming to ruination. All her careful plans could be destroyed in an instant. She stopped in her tracks, at the edge of the glistening puddle, as the thing began to glow brightly. Everyone raised a hand to shield their eyes as the glow intensified.

The glow faded after a few seconds, revealing something that surprised most of the people present as they dared to look. Instead of a grotesque mass of parts stitched together, there was now something that could have passed for an actual Pokemon. Large, black eyes blinked rapidly on a round head with a slightly pointed muzzle. The head, like the body, was a soft purple colour. Jagged wings sprouted from its back and antennae dangled on the head. Two fins appeared to be its ears. The body was short and slightly rounded with two arms and legs, as well as a long, tapering tail. A steel circlet coloured gold and decorated with jagged stripes of black adorned the neck, three pendants hanging from it. The pendants were in the shape of a leaf, a flame and a teardrop.

"That isn't an actual Pokemon, is it?" May whispered in awe and partly in fear, though she took out her Pokedex to check. The Pokedex, however, did not come up with any data. The machine seemed unaware of her efforts to look up a Pokemon for that matter. "It really is her creation after all."

"Well, this is quite a relief." Professor Ivy let out a shill laugh as she gazed at her creation. "I was afraid that it was still too early for it to come out, but it looks like it's fine after all." She turned, narrowing her eyes at Jessie and James. "I had no idea you two fools were behind me the whole time. I should have been more careful."

"You guys..." Ash looked at Jessie and James, appearing confused. "Why did you two help out there?" He looked at the gun, hoping for just a second that they wouldn't use it to try and get Pikachu. Surely they wouldn't go that low, would they? He dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Of course they wouldn't do that. Team Rocket didn't resort to death threats.

"Like we'd let some maniac lady who kills Pokemon get her way," Meowth growled, looking furious. He couldn't believe there was a person in the world who would do such things and his heart went out to the Pokemon who had been treated so cruelly. As he looked up at the strange Pokemon floating in the tube, he suddenly felt a terrible sadness emanating from it.

"Pika..." Pikachu said quietly, his eyes wide as he stared at the creature as well. He felt its sadness too, but also, there was a simmering fury lying beneath. It wasn't just sad, it was angry. Did it know what had happened to bring it into this world after all?

"After everything we heard, how could we not help?" James pointed out, smiling faintly. "It's been ages since we last helped you out anyway, it was about time we made up for it."

"Who..." A strange voice floated through the room, ringing clearly in everyone's minds. All eyes were directed at the source of the sound, which was the false Pokemon itself. "Who was it who created me?" A pause followed, and the voice came once more, sounding angrier. "Who killed us?"

"Us? Plural?" Brock uttered, staring at May and Ash. The three looked at each other, shocked by the Pokemon's words. "Could it be that it is speaking on behalf of the Pokemon killed in order to create it?"

"It knows, doesn't it?" May whispered, her eyes stinging with tears. "All the Pokemon who died... it's feeling their sadness and anger, right?"

"That's correct," Meowth spoke up. "I can feel it. It is a really intense feeling, it's so sad and angry at the same time, because of all the Pokemon who died so unhappily. That thing is remembering their pain and anger at being betrayed."

"So, that means their hearts survived," Ash spoke up, looking grim as he gazed at the creature that was hardly a Pokemon, yet at the same time was. "They are living on inside that creature through the feelings that remained at the time of their deaths."

Professor Ivy let out a mocking laugh and shook her head. "Pain and anger? Nonsense. When I make it mine, those feelings won't matter anymore. It will serve me and obey me." She stepped toward the tube, catching the attention of the newly created Pokemon. "I am the one who made you, with my own hands. I am your maker."

"You?" The Pokemon regarded her with its large eyes. "Then you are responsible for the sadness and pain of those who died to create me? You are the reason I feel their suffering and even now, I hear their cries of agony in my head?"

Professor Ivy let out a soft chuckle and turned around, walking across the room with a grin on her face. "This is certainly a surprise. I hadn't expected them to live on in my creation. But it doesn't matter. Because, I have become a goddess, a person who made life with my own hands!" She started laughing, sounding crazed as she did so.

"She's cracked," Jessie muttered, keeping her grip tight on the gun as she watched Professor Ivy stumble toward the shelves. The moment the Professor tried anything, Jessie would use the firearm to keep her at bay. Learning to use a gun was basic training for Team Rocket agents and she could handle it. "This woman really is insane."

"I am a creator," Professor Ivy said in a manic voice, grinning as she waved her hands at the various jars and beakers on the shelves. "I worked so hard to install life into a mass of flesh and pieces and I did it. My hard work is finally done."

Everyone watched in silence and trepidation as Professor Ivy muttered crazily to herself, reaching for a small jar of liquid. They didn't understand what she was doing, but they weren't worried. What could she do now that she was unarmed and Jessie held her gun?

"There is nothing left," Professor Ivy said softly, unscrewing the lid and smirking. She continued to move, taking small, unsteady steps and looking straight ahead though her gaze was unfocused. "But what can I do now? I have created life, but I won't be able to do anything with it. You brats won't let me, so all that's left to do is drink this and kill myself."

Everyone gasped as Professor Ivy raised the jar toward her face, the grin on her face widening as she looked into the clear depths of the liquid. Suddenly, she turned and with a swift motion, flung it into the face of the nearest person who happened to be Jessie. The redheaded Rocket agent had not seen it coming and screamed in pain, dropping the gun and reaching up to clutch at her burned cheek.

Professor Ivy moved before anyone else could, snatching up the gun. She backed away toward the other side of the room, toward the Pokemon in the tube, smiling as she held up the gun. "Looks like my ploy of acting insane was enough to distract you. Did you really think that I would just throw away my chance to take control of the world with the strongest Pokemon ever?"

"Jessie!" James rushed to her side as she fell to her knees, clutching her stinging face. He kneeled next to her, looking anxious. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"Of course it hurts, you idiot!" Jessie screamed, her eyes stinging with tears. "It burned me! At least it didn't get my eyes." She glared at the Professor. "If you've ruined my beautiful face, I'm going to make you suffer for that!"

Professor Ivy just smiled coldly as she walked through the glistening puddle toward the tube, ignoring the liquid that splashed onto her shoes. As she stood in front of her creation, she turned around. "Of course, I will need the GS Ball if I am to control my new Pokemon. I will repeat my previous order. Hand over that damn GS Ball!" she yelled, aiming her gun at Ash with a furious expression. He flinched as again the firearm was pointed toward him. It was quite unnerving to have a weapon aimed at him.

"Professor Ivy!" A shocked female voice called out from the top of the stairs. The Professor looked up to see her three assistants standing in the doorway, looking at her with horrified expressions. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I am doing?" Professor Ivy asked coldly. "The ultimate Pokemon has finally been born and I need the GS Ball to control it, but it seems certain people are now trying to get in my way after learning of my plans."

"But you said nobody would be hurt!" Faith exclaimed, as the three hurried down the stairs. "You said that this experiment would help people. Why are you threatening their lives like this?"

"We helped you with the experiment and kept it a secret only because you offered to help pay for our parents' care and you said it was for a good cause," Hope spoke up, her eyes wide. "But we never thought you would hurt anyone. Some of the people here are only children."

"Enough of this!" Professor Ivy snapped. "I have no wish to listen to your idle prattling. Now, you, boy, give me that GS Ball right now or I'll kill you and your friends." She narrowed her eyes as she stared at Ash.

"No! Stop it!" Charity cried out, her eyes welling up with tears. "You can't take a person's life." She advanced toward the Professor. "Don't you remember how you told us creating the strongest Pokemon was for the good of the world? There is nothing good about hurting people."

"Be quiet!" Professor Ivy shouted, swinging her arm and firing the gun. Charity fell to her knees, letting out a high-pitched scream as she felt a blinding pain in her shoulder. She whimpered and put a hand over the wound, blood appearing on her hands. Faith and Hope ran to her side, as everyone else watched on in horror. "That won't kill you. It went straight through your shoulder. But my next shot will be intended to kill."

"That was really cruel!" Brock exclaimed, feeling aghast as he watched Faith and Hope attempt to console the crying Charity, trying to stop the bleeding from her wound at the same time with wadded up fabric. "How could you just shoot your assistant like that?"

"Do you want to be next?" Professor Ivy asked, her voice icy cold as she waved the gun in Brock's direction. It then shifted in May's direction, causing her to gasp. "Or maybe the pretty little brunette will be next."

"Stop it!" Ash yelled, pulling the GS Ball from his pocket and gritting his teeth furiously. "I won't let you hurt my friends. If you want the GS Ball so much, then I'll just give it to you. You'll kill us if I don't, so I really have no choice after all." He numbly looked down at the spherical object, wishing vehemently that he had never come out here after all. Bringing the GS Ball to Professor Ivy had been the worst thing to do. With this, she could control her creation, the most powerful Pokemon of all, and do whatever she wished.

Suddenly, Meowth lunged from underneath the table, flying at Professor Ivy angrily with his claws at the ready. If he could disarm her and keep her distracted, someone could get the gun and she wouldn't get away with this. She had killed those poor Pokemon and even had the nerve to hurt his team member, making the feline Pokemon quite furious. "Take this!" he screamed.

Professor Ivy's other hand shot out, grabbing Meowth in mid-air. He gasped and frantically swiped at her, his claws just out of reach of her face. "Surprise attacks just don't work on me anymore," the Professor said coldly, flinging Meowth to the floor. He narrowly landed on his feet, looking up into the barrel of the gun. "You shouldn't have tried that," she said coldly, her finger starting to squeeze the trigger.

"Meowth!" Jessie and James screamed in unison, terrified at the sight of their comrade about to be shot. Even Ash, Brock, May and Pikachu couldn't stifle their cries of shock and horror. Even if he was a member of Team Rocket, they certainly didn't want to see him be killed by Professor Ivy's weapon.

Professor Ivy froze to the spot, unable to move at all. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't apply any more pressure to the trigger with her finger. Her entire body was paralysed. She stared rigidly at Meowth's stunned expression, wondering what was happening to her. Why could she not move a single bone in her body all of a sudden? It was as if something was holding her tightly in place. As she wondered what it could be, a thought occurred to her. It was the Pokemon, her own creation, doing this to her.

"I will not let you harm or kill another Pokemon," said the unnamed Pokemon, a dull red light shining at the back of its ebony eyes. "Your ways of evil have come to an end. It is time for me to avenge those who died at your hands, who perished to secure my creation. Their hearts are crying out for vengeance and I will not let their deaths be in vain."

Professor Ivy found that her mouth could at least move and she managed to gasp out in a hoarse, angry voice, "But I... created you with my own hands... how can you possibly turn on me... like this? I won't... allow this." Her eyes widened as she saw the gun in her hand crumble away into tiny dust particles and disappear completely.

"What is happening?" Ash asked, a confused expression on his face. Professor Ivy was not moving at all and the gun had vanished without a trace. It seemed that the Pokemon floating within the tube was doing something to her, possibly it had put her in paralysis as a reaction to her attempting to harm Meowth. "Is the Pokemon turning against Professor Ivy?"

"I don't think it was ever on her side to begin with," May spoke, looking slightly disturbed. The Pokemon was obviously distressed by all the deaths that had happened to cause its creation, burdened by the memory of their pain and rage, so there was no telling what it was about to do. "She had no idea how it was going to turn out. It's obviously backfired on her."

"If you had handed over the GS Ball and she'd been able to use it, it might have been a different story," Brock said, glancing at the silver and gold sphere within Ash's hand. "It sounds like that can control the Pokemon, no matter what, which is why she was so desperate to have it back."

"I have not turned against you. I was never with you in the first place," said the Pokemon, its voice sounding harsh and steely. "The Pokemon that died to make me... they hate you for what you did, coldly slaughtering them on the table and ending their life. They had the right to live and you took it from them. It is because you created me that I will now deal punishment to you."

"It sounds pretty annoyed," James said quietly, feeling slightly creeped out. He had never seen a Pokemon act in that way, let alone talking like that. "I think the Professor is about to get her just desserts."

"All I care about right now is getting some treatment for this giant burn on my face," Jessie hissed, gingerly touching her scalded skin and wincing as it stung. "I really hope this doesn't scar."

Meowth scampered over to the two, a weak smile on his face. "Hey, uh... that was a pretty close one, wasn't it?"

"What were you thinking?" Jessie yelled at him, startling him out of his wits. "Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I guess that Pokemon can't be so bad if it saved Meowth... but it still sounds kind of scary," James said quietly, staring at Professor Ivy's creation. "Do you think we should leave now?"

"So... you are going to destroy me?" Professor Ivy whispered, her eyelids lowering. Her mouth twitched in what was almost a smile. "You really are... my creation, aren't you? To turn on the one who gave you life... the seed of evil is already sown."

"Do not compare me to the likes of you. I would never harm another Pokemon... those who live on in me, they cry only for vengeance against humans, not their own kind," said the Pokemon. "You are first."

"Didn't that sound kind of ominous?" May whispered, turning to Ash and Brock with a worried expression. They also looked troubled. The way the Pokemon had spoken, it had sounded like it wouldn't be satisfied with just punishing Professor Ivy.

"Wait a minute!" Ash exclaimed, looking shocked. "You're going to kill her? What kind of Pokemon actually takes a human's life? We would just call the police and they would come and-" He broke off, his eyes widening in horror as a red glow surrounded Professor Ivy and she let out a high pitched scream. "No way..."

"The Pokemon is going to destroy her," Brock said, his voice sounding shaky. "Those Pokemon who had to die to create it... their pain is so great, they must not remember what it was like to be around humans they could trust. It's out of control."

Professor Ivy let out a shaky laugh, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "You should have... just handed over the GS Ball... Ash. Look what you... did..." She screamed again as pure power blasted through her, tearing her apart inside.

"Let's get out of here," May suggested, shuddering. "This doesn't look good. I don't think we can help her either." She turned to see Jessie, James and Meowth hurrying up the steps and out of the room. Evidently, they did not want to spend a minute longer in this place. "Team Rocket's already made a run for it. Let's follow."

"I can't believe a Pokemon would have such a strong urge to kill a human being," Ash said, tearing his eyes away from Professor Ivy. Pikachu was already up on his shoulder, shivering in trepidation. "But we've got to try and talk some sense into it! It's out of control because of the sadness and anger it's feeling. If only we could just try and calm it down somehow."

"Professor Ivy..." Faith said quietly, looking shocked as the Professor crumpled to the floor. "I can't believe that she resorted to this and her own experiment turned against her."

"She even shot our sister," Hope said, looking worriedly at Charity's pale face. "We've got to get help for her injury. But that Pokemon... what is it going to do?"

"I'm scared..." Charity whimpered. "It hurts so much."

Professor Ivy let out one last scream as the Pokemon dealt its final blow and then she went limp, her eyes sliding shut. It seemed to be smiling as it looked down at her, then it turned its gaze toward the other humans present in the room.

"I am an avenger. I will see to it that humans are wiped off the face of this pathetic world, especially those who mistreat their Pokemon," it whispered in a dark voice. "The dead want justice. I am Justice. That is my name, for that is what I am. Humans... will pay."

"Stop this!" Ash yelled, running forward. He came to a stop a few feet away from the Pokemon. "Not all humans are bad! There are many people out there who would never ever lay a hand on a Pokemon!"

"Pika! Pikachu pika pipika chu!" Pikachu cried out, attempting to communicate with Justice and confirming what Ash had just said.

"Silence... human," Justice whispered. "I will spare the lives of the people in this room for now... I have things to do, like destroying this place. Run, while you still can." It floated toward the ceiling, eyes glowing bright red. The entire room began to shake, cracks appearing in the ceiling.

"The room is going to collapse!" May cried out, running toward the steps. "We have to get out of here while we still can!"

Ash bit down on his lower lip, feeling torn. He wanted to try and convince Justice, but it wasn't paying attention to him and the ceiling would end up falling on him if he stayed in there any longer. Ash turned and hurried toward the exit, Brock following with the injured assistant on his arm. The other two assistants were already ahead of him. They all managed to make it out of the laboratory safely and stood outside, watching in shock as a beam of light shot through the roof of the lab, reaching toward the sky.

A massive blast suddenly took off the entire roof, sending it flying into the distance with a thunderous crash. Fires licked away at the collapsing interior as the building began to crumble into nothing. Justice appeared in the sky, a blistering haze of heat surrounding it. It paid no attention to Ash and the others as it turned and flew away through the sky.

"Where is it going now?" May asked, trembling as she looked at the burning building. To think that a Pokemon could be capable of so much destruction and still want more, to even want humans dead... it was terrifying.

"It's going toward the nearby village where people live!" Brock exclaimed. "It must know where the humans are dwelling. If we don't hurry and stop it, more people could die."

"I'm not going to let that happen. Let's go!" Ash started running as fast as he could, May and Brock quickly following behind. The assistants remained where they were, still staring in transfixed horror at the blazing wreck of the laboratory. It was hard to believe that so much could have happened in just a few minutes.

By the time Ash, Brock and May reached the village, several houses were already burning and casting an orange glow in the sky. Justice hovered in the sky, flinging energy balls at people as they ran screaming. The ground shook slightly with the impact of its powerful attacks. The cries of frightened children could be clearly heard among the sounds of the Pokemon's wrathful destruction.

"What kind of Pokemon is that?" Officer Jenny exclaimed, standing in the centre of the village and staring aghast at the Pokemon in the sky. She winced as a bolt struck the ground near her, gritting her teeth, and turned to look at the Growlithe standing next to her. "Growlithe, use Flamethrower on it!"

Growlithe opened its mouth and a wide stream of searing flames shot out, surging toward the Pokemon. Justice turned its head, gazing at the approaching fire, then stopped it in its tracks. Growlithe let out a surprised bark as its attack was promptly extinguished. Justice ignored the Growlithe and raised its arm, sending a bolt of pure energy toward Officer Jenny. She cried out and leaped aside, wincing as it grazed her arm. The blue-haired woman kneeled, clutching her burned arm and uttered a soft curse under her breath.

"Pikachu, attack it!" Ash ordered, pointing an arm toward Justice with a fierce expression. "Use Thunderbolt!"

"Pika-Chuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried out, firing a Thunderbolt toward it. Justice didn't even turn as it stopped the attack in mid-air and redirected it straight toward Ash. The shocked trainer didn't have any time to react as the lightning attack blasted him. He let out a loud cry as the volts coursed through his body, barely managing to stay upright. Pikachu turned in surprise and ran toward Ash, looking worried. "Pikapi!"

"I'm okay..." Ash winced as the attack wore off. "I just didn't see that one coming."

"Come out, Blaziken!" May threw the Pokeball containing the fire Pokemon and it appeared in a burst of red light. Its eyes turned toward the offending Pokemon and it let out a cry. "Sky Uppercut!"

Blaziken leaped up into the air, claws glowing brightly as it prepared to attack the hovering Justice. A blue glow surrounded Blaziken, halting it in its tracks, and it cried out in surprise as it was flung right back, crashing on top of May.

"Oww..." May groaned, her face twisted in a grimace of pain. Blaziken quickly got off her, looking concerned. "Blaziken, you are really heavy."

"Are you okay, May?" Ash ran over to her, helping her to her feet.

"Yeah... I think I'm going to have a few bruises though," May muttered, rubbing her side. "That Pokemon is turning our own Pokemon's attacks against us. We're going to have to be careful."

"Go, Croagunk!" Brock threw Croagunk's Pokeball. Croagunk appeared, staring ahead and puffing its cheeks. It didn't seem terribly concerned to be surrounded by burning buildings. "Poison Sting!"

Croagunk opened its mouth, purple barbs shooting out and flying toward Justice. A shining barrier appeared around the Pokemon and the barbs bounced off harmlessly.

"Quit interfering, humans," Justice said, turning its dark eyes toward the trio. "You cannot harm me. I am the most powerful Pokemon in the world." To emphasise its point, it summoned several sharp gusts of winds which swept them off their feet and sent them flying to the ground.

"Ugh!" Ash coughed up dust, his elbow stinging where it had scraped against a rock on impact. "What are we supposed to do? Nothing is working against it!" He hit the ground with a fist in frustration.

"We have to do something," May said painfully, struggling to her knees and looking up at Justice with a worried expression. It had already returned to attacking the people who were attempting to escape. "We can't let that Pokemon hurt any more people."

"We'll just have to keep attacking and hope that something works!" Brock exclaimed, getting to his feet. "Croagunk, Brick Break!"

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash cried out.

"Blaziken, Fire Spin!" May ordered.

Despite the Pokemon's best efforts to bring down Justice, it merely brought its barrier up each time before the attacks could hit and continued to throw its own powerful attacks at the settlement, trying to strike down anything that moved. Pikachu, Blaziken and Croagunk were beginning to tire out and they hadn't even managed to graze Justice yet.

"Our Pokemon's attacks don't work..." May said softly, watching with an agonised expression as Justice flung an energy ball toward a building, blasting the wall into pieces and tearing down half the building in the process. "It's too strong."

"It won't listen to us either," Brock said, clenching his fists. "There doesn't seem to be any way to calm it down. What are we supposed to do now? Our other Pokemon will only get tired as well trying to fight it."

Ash stared up at Justice, gritting his teeth with frustration. There had to be something that they could do to calm the Pokemon before it destroyed the settlement. It wouldn't just stop here either. It would move from island to island, destroying everything in its way, and after it had annihilated the Orange Archipelago? It would surely move on to Kanto and the other regions, wreaking further destruction. They couldn't let that happen, but what were they supposed to do?

His hand brushed against the GS Ball, still safely in the pocket of his pants, and he froze, a thought occurring to him. The GS Ball was no ordinary Pokeball after all and it was intended to be able to control the ultimate Pokemon. But did that also mean a successful capture rate or would it be a futile effort? Ash swallowed as he reached in and pulled it out, staring at the gold and silver ball. It was at least worth a try, wasn't it? It was certainly better than letting Justice wreak vengeance over the lands and destroy humankind.

"Ash?" May cried out as Ash started running toward Justice. "What are you doing?"

"GS Ball..." Ash swung his arm back and then flung the GS Ball through the air toward Justice. "Go!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

I bet nobody expected Ash to actually try to catch the thing, but he is. Will he succeed in his crazy plan? Read and find out!

* * *

Justice was startled by the sight of the gold and silver Pokeball arcing through the air toward it. It had certainly not suspected that one of those foolish trainers would attempt to catch it. Of course, it had to be the loud mouthed one with the hat. Trying to talk it out of its revenge and even attempting to catch it now? Justice was partly amused to think that he had attempted such a ploy. Of course it would not work against the strongest Pokemon in the world, who would never allow itself to be imprisoned wthin some crude contraption. As the Pokemon watched the sphere hurtle toward itself, it remembered how that Professor, the one who had slaughtered all the Pokemon to create it, had been so desperate to get hold of something called a GS Ball, even aiming that weapon of hers all over the place before it had finally stepped in and put an end to her evil methods. 

This gold and silver ball was the GS Ball, wasn't it? What was so special about this object that Professor Ivy had been so desperate to get it? If this was one of her creations, then Justice figured that it would have to be careful. This was certainly not an ordinary Pokeball and it did not desire for the device to come into contact with itself. Justice would surely be sucked right into it and have difficulty in fighting its way out, despite its powerful status. It would not risk that now that it had its chance to get revenge on the world for the Pokemon who had been wronged.

A shimmering barrier appeared around Justice, shielding it from the oncoming projectile. It warily hovered in the air, wings slowly flapping from its back, as its eyes remained fixed on the GS Ball. With this barrier around the Pokemon, it considered itself to be safe, but it could not afford to get careless now. If it got trapped, that mouthy brat would end up in control of it and he would never let it get its revenge. The mere thought of it horrified Justice. That Professor had made that thing with the intent of controlling it and making obey her will. It refused to answer to anyone. Humans were filthy traitors and it loathed the idea of serving one of them.

The GS Ball softly bumped against the transparent shield around Justice and froze in mid-air for just a second. Once that second had passed, it popped open and a red beam of light flowed out, encompassing the barrier and the Pokemon within. Even the barrier could not prevent the GS Ball from absorbing it in its entirety and closing shut around it. It fell to the ground and rolled away until it came to rest against a rock, where it started to rock back and forth wildly.

Justice was fighting inside it, struggling to get out and resist capture. It could not believe that the barrier had not worked after all and now it was in danger of getting trapped in here unless it broke out and got away. This GS Ball really was no ordinary Pokeball after all if it could trap the most powerful Pokemon. As it continued to fight, it knew that time was running out and it had to get free before it was too late.

Ash clenched his fists as he stared at the rocking GS Ball, a bead of sweat trickling down his skin as he watched it move furiously. The Pokemon inside was putting up a big fight but it seemed it might lose after all. Still, he knew better than to think he had won after all. Pokemon could easily break free of a Pokeball at the very last second, when it seemed they had actually been caught. He was surprised enough that the GS Ball had worked, even breaking through that barrier. Perhaps it had been designed with the Master Ball in mind, but what was it that actually made the GS Ball different? Professor Ivy hadn't said anything about that. She had preferred to wave around that gun and threaten everyone instead.

"Is it working?" May realised she had been holding her breath and took in a few deep breaths, her wide-eyed gaze fixed sharply on the GS Ball. She hadn't expected Ash to suddenly do something like that, but it seemed that his tactic might be working after all. It really was an incredible invention if it could so easily trap such a powerful creature like Justice, she thought, yet she couldn't help feeling worried. Was it really okay for Ash to catch that thing? What if something happened to him as a result? Still, he was doing this to protect everyone and she knew he wouldn't go back on it, even if it proved a risk to himself. May let out a small sigh. Sometimes Ash really could be reckless, but he looked out for others and he really cared, which weren't bad qualities by any means.

Brock was just as tense as he watched the tilting GS Ball. It was beginning to slow now, as if the Pokemon inside was weakening from its struggles to break free. If the GS Ball was able trap it, then everybody could be saved. The destruction that Pokemon planned to wreak on humankind would hopefully never be realised. What had that Professor been doing, creating such a dangerous thing and even killing innocent Pokemon for it? At least she was gone now, yet just thinking about her made him shiver, remembering his shock and terror at finding the truth about how evil she was beneath that kindly personality. Felina Ivy had indeed been a devil in disguise.

The GS Ball slowed down to a halt and remained still on the ground, a final beep emitting from it. Justice had been caught against its expectations, trapped within the GS Ball. Ash had actually managed to catch the most powerful Pokemon in the world, thanks to the strange device created by Professor Ivy. Justice had put up a fierce battle, but in the end, it had lost.

Ash exhaled, letting out a deep sigh of relief. He hadn't expected it to work so efficiently. It had simply been a last resort in a moment of desperation. The thought of being in control of the Ultimate Pokemon itself, the thing created by destroying innocent Pokemon and using their bodies to make some macabre mockery of life, it was chilling, but what choice did he have ten? He couldn't let Justice rampage and destroy humankind, so in the end, he'd done the very thing Professor Ivy had intended to do. He had trapped it inside the GS Ball and was now in control, or so he hoped.

"Pika?" Pikachu approached the GS Ball nervously, his nose twitching as he stared at the gold and silver coloured Pokeball. It did not even move as he reached out and poked it with a ball. That monster inside made the electric mouse nervous and he couldn't help feeling worried, even with that thing stuck fast inside the GS Ball.

"Looks like I caught it, huh, Pikachu?" Ash forced enthusiasm into his voice as he walked up to stand next to Pikachu, leaning down to reach for the GS Ball. Before he could pick it up however, a disembodied voice spoke to him from somewhere.

"Well, this is interesting..." The voice sounded exactly like that of Justice, but how could it be speaking from within the GS Ball? "I think I am starting to understand... but it's too early to tell yet."

"Ugh, what the...?" Ash backed away, shaking his head. Had Justice actually been speaking from the GS Ball?

"Ash, what's the matter?" May stepped up, looking concerned as she saw his troubled expression.

"Didn't you hear that just now?" Ash frowned. "It sounded like Justice was speaking."

May looked blankly at him, a slender eyebrow raising itself slightly. "No. I didn't hear anything." She looked questioningly at Brock, who shook his head in bewilderment. "Maybe you're just hearing things, Ash. It's probably just stress."

"Yeah, maybe..." Ash shook off the disturbed feeling as he reached out again, picking the GS Ball up and holding it securely in his palm. "You didn't hear anything, Pikachu?" Pikachu's confused expression confirmed the negative. "I guess it was nothing then." He straightened, gazing pensively at the GS Ball. What had that voice been just now? Was it really just his imagination playing tricks on him? Somehow, Ash doubted that. That had been Justice's voice, speaking to him, but for some reason, May, Brock and Pikachu hadn't heard it.'

"Did you just catch that Pokemon?" Officer Jenny ran over, gasping for breath. This day had to be the strangest one of her life. First some strange Pokemon she had never seen the likes of before had attacked the village and now some trainer had managed to catch it? "Just what was that?"

"That-" Ash started, but before he could say anything else, Brock had jumped in front of him and grabbed the surprised policewoman's hand.

"Officer Jenny!" Brock exclaimed, smiling up at her. "You fought so bravely against that monster with your fine Growlithe. Perhaps, if you haven't had too much excitement today, then we could find some other exciting things to do together, just you and me. Perhaps we could- ugh... I feel... numb..."

"That served him right," May muttered, watching Croagunk pull Brock away. "What is he thinking, flirting with her at a time like this?"

"Uh... you were saying?" Jenny turned her attention back to Ash, shaking her head. "Why was that Pokemon attacking us?"

"That was the Ultimate Pokemon," Ash replied numbly, holding up the GS Ball. "It was an experiment someone was working on... using other Pokemon. They died, just so that someone could try to create life, and it worked."

"Really?" Officer Jenny frowned. "This all sounds very complicated. Maybe you should all come down to the station and explain things. I really could do with a coffee right now."

Inside the small building nearby that served as the workplace for the local police force, Ash, May and Brock explained every detail of the evil scheme that had been going on right beneath their noses. Officer Jenny was stunned to hear of it. She had heard nothing of Pokemon going missing and would never have suspected the Professor of committing such evil, but she knew these young trainers had to be telling the truth.

"This thing inside... this creature, it was so angry about all the Pokemon who died to create it, it wants to destroy humankind," Ash murmured sadly, glancing at the GS Ball which he held onto tightly.

"You will be sorry... you tried to deny me revenge..." a deep voice hissed inside his head. "You won't get away with this..."

"Ugh." Ash clutched his head, grimacing. That voice was coming from inside his head, wasn't it? No wonder nobody else could hear it. Justice was speaking to him in his mind. Could it be part of the GS Ball's secret?

"What is it?" May glanced at him, worried by the sight of his agonised expression and the fact he was holding his head.

"It's nothing," Ash said quietly, dropping his hand. He didn't want to make anyone else worried. "I think I just have a headache."

"Oh." May looked away, frowning. There was something wrong with him, but he seemed unwilling to talk about it. It wasn't connected to catching Justice, was it?

"Hold on a second, I'm going to send some people to the lab to investigate," Officer Jenny said, standing up. "It's just routine, that's all. Oh, and you said these assistants were involved? Maybe we should arrest them."

"We don't know much about that, but it seems she was coercing them into it somehow," Brock spoke up. "Still, it's your job. One of them got shot in the shoulder, so she will need medical aid. We left them by the lab when we went to go help the village."

"I see." Officer Jenny nodded. "We will have to at least question them though, regardless of what the truth is. Now, excuse me." She turned and quickly walked away to speak to her fellow workers.

The fires that had razed part of the lab were beginning to die down when the police arrived. They quickly extinguished the flames and found their way to the ruined lab, carefully looking around. One bullet was found among the rubble and clear bloodstains still remained. It was quite clear that something terrible had happened in that lab. They carted out the lone body found among the rubble, covered from head to foot in a sheet on a stretcher.

The assistants were still standing shellshocked outside the lab when the police arrived. Faith and Hope were escorted to the police station, while Charity was taken to the medical center for treatment of her wound. The two tearful women admitted everything as the police interrogated them, telling of how Professor Ivy had so easily coaxed them into helping with her evil scheme and even bribed them by sending money to their parents, who were not so well off.

"We tried to stop her when she pulled that gun on those kids," Hope sobbed out, leaning on the table with a defeated expression. "They are only children. We didn't expect her to shoot our sister."

"We didn't realise it before, but Professor Ivy was insane," Faith chimed in weakly, her voice sounding strained. "She was cold and calculating. She knew which buttons to push too. We were pulled into her schemes so easily. Ivy even told us how it would help people, though we didn't understand what she meant by that, but we believed her."

"I see," Officer Jenny said tersely, her eyebrows knitted in a frown. "You let this woman coldly slaughter innocent Pokemon and allowed her to get away with it. You even all helped her with her plans to make the most powerful Pokemon in the world and that Pokemon almost destroyed the village. Under the circumstances, I will have to arrest you both and your sister."

The two women did not even resist capture as they were cuffed and led out of the room, heads bowed in shame. Ash, Brock and May watched them leave from where they sat in the lobby on comfortable chairs, sipping from warm drinks that Officer Jenny had kindly given them. The sweet, warm drinks were best for treating the shock all three of them had suffered today.

"So she arrested them, then?" May sat back in her chair with a heavy sigh. "They weren't as bad as that Professor. They tried to stop her from pointing that gun at us and that other assistant even got shot trying."

"They were still all in on it though," Brock said, gazing into the depths of his cup with a pensive expression. "They knew what Professor Ivy was up to the whole time and even helped her out. Just standing there and letting Pokemon get hurt or killed... it's just as bad as if they did it with their own hands."

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Ash asked, indicating the GS Ball. The Ultimate Pokemon was secured inside it, and even worse, invading his mind. It scared him to think what it was capable of if it could even talk to him from inside that thing. "The Pokemon inside is too dangerous to even let out and I can't let this fall into the wrong hands. I guess, since I caught it, I'm just going to have to keep it safe." The truth was, he didn't want to keep it, but what else was he supposed to do?

"I think if you just look after it, things will be fine," May said, looking hopeful. "That Pokemon can't do anything inside that GS Ball. It won't be out there hurting humans and destroying their homes. Just keep it in there."

"Can't do anything?" Justice laughed mockingly inside Ash's head. "How very wrong... I can hear you all from within there... and I can even see inside your own mind. Perhaps the humans are safe for now... but you are not, Ash Ketchum."

"Pikapi?" Pikachu noticed a brief grimace flicker over Ash's face as he looked away. He was quite aware that something was not right, but whatever it was, his trainer was not saying.

"It's okay, Pikachu." Ash smiled and rubbed the mouse Pokemon's head fondly. "Everything is going to be fine now, so we don't have anything to worry about." Though he tried his best to sound positive as he spoke, his eyes betrayed the concern he really felt.

A few minutes later, Officer Jenny walked over to the three trainers, smiling weakly. "Well, all that's left is to decide what we're going to do with those assistants. They will probably face some time in jail. You three are free to go now. Thanks again for helping out there..." She glanced at Ash. "But are you really going to be okay, keeping it?"

Ash knew what she was referring to when she mentioned 'it'. He hesitated, before inclining his head in a small nod. "Yeah. I mean, I caught it, didn't I? I'm sure not going to be letting it out anytime soon and I have to make sure nobody gets their hands on it. It could be dangerous in the hands of a bad guy."

Officer Jenny's smile widened slightly and she let out a small sigh. "You really are brave. But you should be careful, okay? That thing is no ordinary Pokemon. I could tell when I tried to battle it... it was different."

"It was designed to be the most powerful Pokemon in the world. That's what the Professor said," May spoke up. "Apparently it was created to have every single type as well as be resistant to them. What we saw of it, it was really frightening. I sure hope it never gets back out."

"That is just ghastly." Officer Jenny put a hand on her hip and made a tutting noise. "I can't believe anyone could have been capable of playing with Pokemon's lives like that. It's even more terrifying to think that she was even able to create new life. Just what kind of woman was she? We thought we knew her, but in the end... we didn't know anything about her at all."

The three young trainers decided it was time they headed to the Pokemon Center and gave their Pokemon a well deserved rest, so they said their farewells to Jenny and headed over to the nearby Pokemon Center. While Nurse Joy tended to their tired Pokemon, they sat down in the eating area. It was surprising that anyone could have an appetite after what they had been through, but their stomachs were growling and they needed food.

"Ash, is there anything you want to tell us?" May asked, as she munched her way through a rice ball, looking questioningly at him. "You seemed to be a bit bothered before. Is there something you're not saying?"

Ash looked up from his cheeseburger, briefly meeting her blue gaze before he glanced away guiltily. He really didn't want to worry them. So what if the Pokemon was speaking to him from inside that GS Ball and was threatening him? What could it really do while stuck in there? "It's nothing to worry about, really."

"But I am worried," May said, sighing as she looked at the strip of dried seaweed running across the plain white rice with a glum expression. "You caught a Pokemon that is definitely not ordinary inside the GS Ball. It's not just a regular Pokeball, is it? If it was, that Professor wouldn't have wanted it so badly, would she?"

"What about that voice you thought you heard?" Brock recalled Ash asking if they had heard something, which they had not. "You thought you heard Justice speaking inside that GS Ball, didn't you? What if you really did?"

It was pretty obvious that they weren't going to drop the subject, Ash realised. Of course they were worried, after he had caught what was potentially the most dangerous Pokemon in the world inside something that Professor Ivy herself had crafted. "Okay, yeah, I did hear a voice," he admitted finally. "It was speaking to me from inside the GS Ball... in my mind. But I don't think there's anything to worry about. What's he going to do, talk me to death?" Ash let out a forced laugh.

"Really?" May frowned. The thought of Justice speaking inside Ash's mind from that thing certainly sounded unpleasant. "You'll be careful, won't you? Don't overdo it, please. If it's bothering you... do something about it."

"Here are your Pokemon," Nurse Joy said, walking up and placing a small pile of Pokeballs on the table. Pikachu jumped up onto the seat next to Ash and made a grabbing motion for the bottle of ketchup in the middle of the table. Nurse Joy turned and walked away, as Ash quickly handed Pikachu the bottle. Pikachu happily lifted the cap and began licking away at the top of the bottle with a gleeful expression.

"Whatever it does, it can't be as bad as destroying humankind. I have to keep it safe from the bad guys and make sure it doesn't get out," Ash said firmly. "I caught it so it's my responsibility now. I'm sure it will be fine."

"You're wrong..." that familiar voice hissed mockingly in his mind. "You don't know... what I can do yet."

"No matter how hard it gets... I've got to do this." Ash picked up a fry and slowly chewed at it. Pikachu looked up in confusion, wondering what he had missed hearing about. Though as a heavy silence fell over the table, it became apparent he wouldn't be hearing anymore, so he went back to licking at his prized ketchup.

After they had finished eating their meals, nobody was in a hurry to go anywhere and a boat wouldn't be leaving the island until the next day, so the rest of the afternoon was spent hanging around the Pokemon Center. At one point, Ash considered calling home, but decided against it. He didn't want to have to explain anything right now, knowing it would just cause further worry.

As night fell, everyone retired to bed, hoping to be able to get some sleep by the time morning arrived. It wouldn't be easy after everything they had seen and gone through, but they had to at least try. Ash lay still in his bed, staring ahead at a dark wall as Pikachu curled up against him. Judging by his slow breathing, it seemed that Pikachu was able to sleep, but for Ash, it was much harder to drop off. Deep inside, he was feeling afraid. What was that Pokemon going to do? He was painfully aware of the GS Ball sitting somewhere deep within the contents of his bag, against the wall.

"I remember each and every scream and cry," Justice spoke in his mind, "of each Pokemon as it was cut apart by that knife while still alive. They are clear in my mind. Why don't you hear them too?" A soft chuckle followed its threat.

Then the screaming started. They ranged from shrill and piercing, to feeble, sharp squeaks, or even blasting howls. It was clear that they had been in agony as they cried out in protest, wanting nothing more than for the pain to stop and for their lives to be spared. Ash struggled not to scream as well, automatically clamping his hands over his ears as he curled up around Pikachu. Yet, it couldn't block out the sounds. The cries were in his mind and they were real. He was hearing each Pokemon suffering and even feeling their agony, their hatred at their betrayal, and the confusion in their minds as they wondered what they had done to deserve this. Justice was effectively torturing him.

"Stop it..." Ash hissed through his gritted teeth, his body trembling. "Please... stop... I can't take it anymore..." Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu sleepily awoke, turning his head to look at Ash. He was startled by the pained expression on his face and crawled over, licking his cheek. "Pikachu pi?"

"Pikachu..." Ash gratefully reached out and hugged the electric mouse close to his chest, comforted by his warm presence. The screams in his mind were beginning to fade away now, but the echoes remained. "I think I walked right into a trap. I don't know what's going to happen, but... I'm scared."

"Pika?" Pikachu twitched an ear, not liking the sound of what he was hearing. "Pikapi, pikachu pika..."

"It will be okay," Ash whispered, though he wasn't so sure. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on Pikachu's head. "I'll get through this somehow. Don't worry."

Pikachu was confused, having no idea what was going on, but he understood that something was upsetting his trainer. It probably had something to do with catching that strange Pokemon. "Chu..." he mumbled, burying deeper into Ash's chest. He didn't want anything to happen to Ash, but what was wrong?

In the later hours of the night, Ash managed to drift off into a troubled sleep, but Justice's game didn't stop. His normally pleasant dreams became nightmares. He was right inside that suffocating lab, smelling decomposing flesh and blood. Pain, like a knife slicing his body, jolted through him. It wasn't real, none of it was, but it certainly felt as if he was indeed there, reliving the pain those Pokemon had suffered. Ash woke up several times during the night, drenched in sweat and shaking.

'What are you trying to do to me?' Ash thought desperately. Justice could read his thoughts, couldn't it?

"You'll figure it out soon. For now, I just want you to feel my pain." The deep voice cut through the agonising silence. Ash lay still, disturbed. Justice was torturing him, but to what means? How much longer would he be able to put up with it?


	7. Chapter 7

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Ahh, poor Ash. He's definitely not having fun with his newly caught Pokemon...

* * *

It seemed like an eternity before the sun finally rose. Ash sat up in bed, wearing a bleak expression on his face as he watched the sky change colour, a soft glow spreading across the horizon as the sun came up. The young trainer had attempted to resist sleep in the end, unwilling to face any more of those terrifying dreams Justice had subjected him to. No, they weren't just dreams, they had really happened and he had seen them through Justice's eyes. The ultimate Pokemon still possessed partial memories of the slaughtered Pokemon who created it and had not hesitated to make Ash feel the pain and misery all those Pokemon felt.

Ash felt sick to his stomach, thinking about what it had felt like. If he hadn't known any better, he would really have thought someone was slicing him up with a sharp knife and cutting him apart, leaving him to die on that table. Not only was he feeling pain and sadness for those subjected to the cruelty of a madwoman, but he also felt fury simmering inside. The person who had done it was dead, there was nothing more that could be done, but now he had that feeling that it wasn't just right to stop. He wanted revenge... or was it Justice? Was Justice affecting him?

"What are you doing?" Ash asked softly, disturbed by the thought of his thirst for vengeance. "Are you doing something to me?"

"Pikachu, pi?" Pikachu perked an ear, looking confused as he sat next to him and stared up at Ash's disturbed face. It didn't sound as if Ash was talking to him, but then who was Ash speaking to?

"You are feeling it, aren't you?" Justice asked within Ash's mind, not bothering to hide the smugness in its voice. "My lust for vengeance. I made you see through my eyes, feel the pain I do... I will break you sooner or later. Soon, you will agree with me, that it would be better to destroy the filthy, evil humans who do wrong, especially against Pokemon."

"No!" Ash yelled vehemently, startling Pikachu who jumped back in surprise. "I won't let you do anything to me! I'm not at all like you! I wouldn't have killed that Professor, whatever she did. I would just have called Officer Jenny... why... why do you want to hurt people so much?"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu jumped into Ash's lap and looked up in concern. It was beginning to understand now. Ash was speaking to that strange Pokemon, and it was apparently speaking through his mind in turn. It was doing something to upset Ash, which Pikachu understood was not a good thing. "Pikachu, pika pikachu pi!"

"You know why." Justice's voice trailed off and it went quiet. Ash looked down at Pikachu, letting out a small sigh of frustration, and scratched the back of his ears.

"That thing..." Ash bit down on his lower lip, eyes glimmering in worry. "It's speaking to me in my head, Pikachu. It's even torturing me, showing me things in my dreams... I don't exactly know what it's trying to do. But I don't want everyone else to worry about me. I caught it for a reason and I'm not going back on it now."

"Chu..." Pikachu seemed unsatisfied, but he knew that Ash would stick to his word. That would mean he wasn't going to tell anyone else what was happening and Pikachu himself could hardly tell, since they wouldn't understand what he was trying to say.

"I guess I should get ready now. We're getting an early start today so we can get back to Kanto as soon as possible," Ash said, standing up and placing Pikachu upon the bed. Pikachu sat still, watching anxiously as Ash picked up his neatly folded sleeveless jacket and pulled it on over his rumpled shirt. He quickly rummaged in his bag, pulling out a comb and running it through his messy hair a few times, before picking up his hat from the end table and placing it upon his head.

"Alright, Pikachu, I'm ready," Ash announced, lifting his bag onto his back and holding out his arm for Pikachu to come up. "Let's go grab something to eat before we have to leave. Brock and May should be getting up soon, if they aren't already."

The Pokemon Center was very quiet at this time of morning, the only other person up being Nurse Joy. Breakfast had already been prepared, spread out over a table and inviting people to help themselves. Ash walked up to the table, picking up a plate, and chose a blueberry muffin and a slice of toast. Even if the food was free, he couldn't bring himself to eat much, his appetite almost having diminished altogether. At Pikachu's request, Ash also heaped some fruit onto the plate for him.

The two hadn't been eating for long when May came in, snatching up a danish as she quickly hurried over to sit at the table. "You're up pretty early," May commented. "I take it you didn't sleep well either? I kept waking up from nightmares." She let out a small sigh.

"I bet your nightmares couldn't have been as bad as mine," Ash said ruefully, before taking another bite out of the muffin. "I kept dreaming about what must have happened inside that room." He didn't mention that he had actually seen it all, tortured by the Pokemon he had caught.

"I dreamed that you got shot," May said shakily, holding her danish midway to her mouth. "And there was nothing that I could do... I woke up crying. It was really scary yesterday, with her pointing that gun... she even shot her assistant. I was terrified."

"It's all over now," Ash said, forcing a smile as he tried to reassure her. "Professor Ivy is dead and I've got the Pokemon under control. There's nothing to worry about." He became aware of Pikachu staring at him doubtfully. "At least, I hope," he added quietly.

"I hope so too." May took a bite and slowly chewed, swallowing before she spoke again. "You didn't have much choice back there when you caught the Pokemon, since it was trying to destroy everything. It kind of scares me how you said it was talking in your mind. You're not going to let it get to you, are you?"

"Of course not," Ash replied firmly, finishing off the muffin and wiping crumbs from his mouth. "I'm not going to listen to it, whatever it does. I'll be fine."

"Pikapi..." Pikachu said in a small voice, looking up from the grape he held in his paws. Ash wasn't telling the truth about what the Pokemon had been doing to his mind. He knew why Ash was hiding it, but that didn't mean he agreed with it.

Ash and May were so absorbed in thinking about the Pokemon that they didn't notice Brock enter the room and approach them, thus they were both surprised when he spoke. "You are both up already? I'm guessing neither of you slept much last night either."

"That's right," May replied. "We saw too many horrible things yesterday."

"Wonder if Team Rocket had the same problem," Ash murmured, wondering where the trio had gone to after running out of the lab. They hadn't been seen since, but he was sure they were safe, wherever they were, and would likely be trying to capture Pikachu as usual sometime soon. "We never got to thank them for helping us out back there. I can't believe they went to so trouble just to help us."

"Anyone would have tried to help out after listening to that crazy woman going on," Brock spoke. "I'm sure we can thank them next time we see them if they aren't up to their usual things." He turned to look at the breakfast table. "Well then, I'll just go get some food."

The three had barely finished eating breakfast altogether when Nurse Joy came over to them with an apologetic look on her face. Before she could say anything, Brock was already on his knees before her with a smile.

"Nurse Joy!" Brock exclaimed. "I can tell you that nothing has brightened my miserable morning more than-" He cried out as May grabbed his ear in annoyance and pulled, indicating that he was to get back in his chair and behave. Brock reluctantly did so, rubbing his pained ear and throwing a longing look at Nurse Joy.

"What is the matter, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked after things had calmed down.

"It seems someone was tipped off about yesterday's incident already," Nurse Joy said. "By someone, I mean the news. They want to make an announcement and broadcast it on television as soon as they can. It seems they are also aware of your heroics and would like to interview you."

"You're kidding, aren't you?" May exclaimed. "Ash, do you really want to speak on television about it?" She turned her head, looking at him questioningly.

"I wonder how they managed to hear about everything so quickly," Brock said, sounding rather surprised.

"I'll do it," Ash said, though he felt reluctant to actually do so. It was rather unsettling that something like this would be broadcast on television, but people enjoyed hearing about scandals and shocking truths, didn't they? "They obviously want their story and who better than me to talk to them? I heard her entire story from her mouth and I even caught her experiment in the device she created."

"Is it really okay? I can just tell them to leave," Nurse Joy offered.

"It's fine," Ash replied, getting up from the table. May and Brock followed him as he left the dining area. They found the reporters in the Pokemon center's lobby, a couple of them holding cameras. As the reporters caught sight of him, they rushed toward him with their microphones at the ready.

"You are Ash Ketchum, competor in all the major Pokemon Leagues and champion of the Battle Frontier, correct?" a woman asked excitedly.

"Um... yeah..." Ash swallowed. The people crowding around him was making him nervous. He wasn't used to getting so much attention and was hardly in the mood for it either.

"Hey," Brock said loudly. "Stop crowding him so much." The reporters glanced at him and stepped back quickly. Ash threw him a grateful look. May shied behind him awkwardly, glancing at the cameras and wondering if her parents would be watching the news. They would certainly be surprised to see her there.

"We received an anonymous call that tipped us off to this exciting yet horrifying scandal and got confirmation from the local Officer Jenny that it was true. She even gave us some small details, though she wasn't willing to tell us much," another woman spoke up. "But you would be willing to tell us more, right? The anonymous caller told us that you and your companions were there. So, you will tell us everything?"

"Sure, I'll answer your questions." Ash sighed quietly. These people really were just desperate for juicy news. Did they even care that so many Pokemon had been tragically killed for some twisted experiment, or were they only interested because it revealed an unexpected dark past behind a respected Pokemon Professor?

* * *

Later that day, back in Pallet Town, Professor Oak and Delia were eating lunch together at the laboratory. Tracey had already finished eating and was outside, handing out food to the many Pokemon roaming the preserve. The television quietly droned on in the background, the volume turned down as not to disturb their meal.

"It shouldn't be long before Ash comes back home," Professor Oak said, pausing with a forkful of potato salad in one hand. "It will be nice to have him around for a while, but he'll probably set off somewhere again before long."

"Yeah. I do miss him when he's away, but he's not the kind of person to stay at home all the time." Delia let out a wistful sigh and smiled. "Actually, Misty seemed kind of worried when Ash, Brock and May left. I wonder what that was all about."

"Brock was claiming that it would be dangerous too, but that's just silly." Samuel shook his head disbelievingly. "Still, I think there is something those kids weren't telling us, but I can't think for the life of me what it would be."

"He was rather disturbed whenever someone mentioned Professor Ivy's name too. Well, I don't think we'll ever know." Delia paused as she cut apart her ham. "How is Gary? He is still in Sinnoh, right?"

"Yes, he is. It's a busy job being a Pokemon Researcher after all and he rarely ever gets to come home," Samuel replied. "I am sure my grandson is going to be a fine Pokemon Professor one day. Professor Rowan of Sinnoh is quite impressed with his work too."

Delia was about to speak, but in the silence, they heard the news channel on the television speaking of breaking news and a scandal. This was enough to pique their curiosity, despite the fact they hadn't yet finished their meals, and Professor Oak quickly reached for the remote and turned up the volume so that they could hear it better.

A blonde woman was speaking quickly into a microphone outside a Pokemon Center, eyes shining with excitement as she delivered the news. "We have received confirmation fromthe Officer Jenny of this island that the anonymous caller's rumour was in fact correct. It is true, people. Over to you, Mitch."

"We are on Valencia Island, the source of this disturbing piece of news, and not far from the now destroyed Pokemon laboratory where Professor Felina Ivy, a Pokemon Professor, worked," said a man in a suit, as the camera swung to look at him. "Used to, that is, because she is no longer with us."

Samuel and Delia stared at each other, eyes widening in shock. Something had happened at Valencia Island, something that had apparently caused the death of Professor Ivy.

"Ash..." Delia's face went pale and she turned back to the television, looking horrified. "Oh, don't tell me that something's happened to him!"

"It may surprise you to know, but Professor Ivy was not the kindly Pokemon lover people thought her to be," Mitch continued speaking to the camera. "It transpired yesterday evening that she had been working on a diabolical event, one that led to the creation of a Pokemon. That same Pokemon attacked this village earlier the day before... the damage can still be seen." He gestured, and the camera swung away, zooming in on a burned roof. A few seconds later, it returned to the reporter's face. "That was the creation of Professor Ivy... in her lab, she was butchering Pokemon and using their parts to create a new lifeform of her own."

Stunned gasps rose from the two and Delia found herself clasping Professor Oak's hand across the table tightly, horrified to hear such things, and at the very place where Ash had traveled to as well! All she wanted to know right now was if he was safe. She didn't care what that woman had been doing, she just wanted her son to be all right.

"This newly created Pokemon was designed to be the most powerful of its kind," Mitch said. "It took the life of its creator and headed to this village, intent on destroying it and perhaps other places too. Sadly, that is all Officer Jenny was willing to tell us at the moment, but the anonymous caller did tell us something else. That Pokemon was stopped in its tracks by a brave young trainer, who was able to capture it, and that trainer's name is Ash Ketchum. Back to you, Linda."

"Ash..." Professor Oak shook his head, as Delia put a hand over her mouth in shock. "If only I'd known... if I knew what that woman was doing, I would never have sent Ash there..."

"I know, Samuel," Delia replied softly, smiling at him before turning her attention back to the television. They watched intently, hoping for more news on Ash.

"We are hopefully going to speak to Ash himself," said Linda. "He should be inside the Pokemon Center right now with his friends. We are going to get all the juicy details on this scandal, so keep watching."

"Juicy details?" Professor Oak sounded disgusted. "That woman... she butchered Pokemon... and it's juicy details to them? They are like vultures! They just wanted to expose these news because it's shocking and unexpected."

"A powerful Pokemon, made from... Pokemon parts?" Delia trembled. "Professor Ivy sounds like a madwoman... I hope Ash wasn't in too much danger. It sounds like he's alright, thank goodness."

The news reporters had moved into the Pokemon Center by now. Nurse Joy was there, looking flustered and berating them all for bothering people so early in the morning, but after some persuasion, she looked resigned and walked away with the apparent intention of notifying Ash himself of their presence.

Delia and Samuel let out sighs of relief as soon they saw Ash, along with Brock and May, as well as Pikachu perched on Ash's shoulder. It seemed that none of them had been hurt after all. Ash looked fairly downcast, yet willing to cooperate with their questions. Brock and May watched on in the background as he started answering the questions being fired rapidly at him.

"What brought you to Valencia Island?" A reporter asked. "Why were you seeing Professor Ivy?"

"We were on an errand for Professor Oak, who wanted us to deliver an item to her," Ash replied. "Professor Ivy wanted it back quite desperately, even though there was nothing in it."

"Care to tell us what the item was?" asked another reporter.

"It was the GS Ball," Ash responded. "It's a gold and silver coloured Pokeball, but it wasn't just an ordinary one, though we didn't realise it at the time. None of us had any idea what Professor Ivy was really like."

"What happened yesterday?"

"The three of us went to the lab. Professor Ivy was out with an assistant and the other two assistants were busy, so we went inside to wait and looked around. That's when we found that room," Ash said, lowering his head until the brim of his cap hid his eyes. "It was horrifying. There was blood on the floor and walls, machines, and that thing floating inside a tube."

"Is the thing you refer to the ultimate Pokemon that Professor Ivy was creating?"

"Yes. She killed Pokemon and cut them up, using their parts to make it." Ash looked up, his expression hardening. "That was why she wanted the GS Ball back so badly. It was a device intended to empower the Pokemon, because it was so powerful she would have difficulty controlling it."

"So Professor Ivy returned while you were looking around, correct? What happened then?"

"She told us everything about her evil plan," Ash said bitterly. "Then demanded I hand over the GS Ball. I was so sickened by hearing everything, I didn't want to do what she said. She ended up pulling out a gun on me to try and force me."

"That bitch!" Delia said vehemently. Samuel patted her hand, trying to reassure her.

"It's okay, Delia," Samuel said quickly. "Ash is obviously unharmed."

"But to pull a gun on my son..." Delia trailed off, eyes still fastened on the television screen where Ash continued to answer the questions.

"That was when the other people in the room... members of Team Rocket, who were trying to steal Pikachu here... Professor Ivy didn't know they were there and they managed to disarm her. But the gun went off and shot the tube." Ash stopped, swallowing heavily. "The tube broke and the thing in there awoke. It started talking about how sad and angry it was because of the Pokemon who had died to create it. Their memories and pain lived on in it."

"It was desperate for revenge," May spoke up. "It certainly wasn't willing to listen to anyone, least of all the one who had created it, since she killed those Pokemon after all."

"Members of Team Rocket... probably Jessie and James, and that talking Meowth," Professor Oak murmured. Delia simply nodded, not looking away for a second.

"We thought we were safe, but Professor Ivy pulled a trick and got the gun back," Ash said sourly. "She tried to get me to hand over the GS Ball again. That was when her assistants turned up."

"Were her assistants involved in the evil plot? Officer Jenny didn't mention them."

"They didn't have much choice in the matter," Brock cut in. "Professor Ivy was practically bribing them to help her out, but I am sure she killed those Pokemon with her own hands. The assistants were arrested though. One of them even got shot in the shoulder when they were trying to stop Professor Ivy from threatening us."

"That was when Team Rocket's Meowth tried to intercept her... except it failed and he almost got shot," Ash spoke. "The Pokemon, I mean, the one that she created, stopped her and then it killed her. It called itself Justice... Justice avenged those who died to create it, but that wasn't enough. It wanted to get rid of humankind. It felt so angry and betrayed by what had happened to the Pokemon."

"This is awful," Delia whispered, shaking her head.

"I know," Professor Oak replied softly, shuddering.

"It wouldn't listen to us. It blew up the lab and went to attack the nearby village," Ash continued. "We fought it, but it was much too powerful, then I thought of using the GS Ball and it worked. I ended up catching Justice. It can't harm anyone now, inside that thing."

"It is the most powerful Pokemon ever and it wants to destroy humans," May spoke, looking upset. "If that thing was let out again, I am sure it would be a disaster."

"So we can't see it?" a reporter asked.

"Of course you can't!" Brock exclaimed. "I think we've talked to them enough, Ash. You've heard enough now, so why don't you finish?"

"Well, it looks like we're done here," Linda spoke up, stepping in front of the camera. "Ash Ketchum has saved possibly many lives by doing something so heroic. Of course, we are horrified to think that someone would be capable of harming Pokemon, especially a Pokemon Professor. That's all we have, but soon we hope to hear more on this chilling issue one day."

The scene cut away to a studio. As someone began speaking about a rumoured sighting of a legendary Pokemon, Professor Oak silently lifted the remote and turned off the television. Delia was now hunched over on the table, her face in her hands. He looked at her with a sad expression, feeling guilty. If only they had known, he would not have sent Ash over there. At least Ash and his friends were safe.

"I just can't believe it," Delia moaned. "Hold on... they already knew about her plot, didn't they?"

"That must be what Brock meant by her being dangerous and why Misty was worried," Samuel replied. "I'm thinking Brock knew about it for a long time, but when the GS Ball was opened and Professor Ivy wanted it back, he chose to finally speak. I am sure he told Ash with the intent of preventing him from going."

"But Ash went off there anyway with Brock and May, knowing fully well it would be dangerous and not even telling us..." Delia put her hands down, looking exasperated. "When that boy gets back, he's grounded!"

"You know what he's like. Ash is never afraid of anything," Professor Oak said, shaking his head and smiling slightly. "I should have taken Brock more seriously, but... I didn't think Professor Ivy was that kind of person."

* * *

A middle-aged man wearing a smart orange suit was sitting comfortably in his large chair, turned to face the window behind him rather than his desk. A Persian was curled up in his lap, purring as he stroked it with one hand. The other hand held a glass of bourbon, from which he took a sip. It was a good life, being the head of Team Rocket, indeed.

A sharp knock on the door alerted Giovanni and he quickly turned the chair around, placing the glass down on the desk. Persian uttered a soft mew and looked up. The door opened and a blonde Team Rocket agent, wearing a pink and white cap over her curled hair, stepped into the room.

"Boss, I've got something important to show you." Domino strode across the room, stopping as she reached the desk. "I think you would like to see this."

"What is it, Agent 009?" Giovanni asked, his interest piqued. She was one of his best agents and had earned his respect. He knew that if she had something she considered interesting to him, he would surely like it. "Have you found a rare Pokemon hiding somewhere?"

"Even better." Domino's mouth stretched into a smile and she brought out her hand, holding a CD. "There was something fascinating on the news earlier today and we managed to get a recording of it. Rather than spoil the surprise, I think you should watch it yourself. Hold on a second." She lifted the small bag slung over her shoulder and placed it on the desk.

Giovanni patiently waited, drinking his bourbon, as Domino set up the equipment and plugged it in. She pushed a button on the device, popping a lid open, and placed the CD inside. A few seconds later, it was playing. Giovanni leaned closer, intently watching the video on the screen. Domino leaned against the desk, arms folded, as she waited for him to finish. Eventually, the video came to an end.

"Well, boss, how was it?" Domino smiled. "The most powerful Pokemon ever? I don't think you should miss this opportunity, especially while it's in the hands of some brat."

"Ash Ketchum..." Giovanni sat back in his seat, an intent expression on his face. He had briefly heard the name a few times when hearing about Pokemon trainers, but it was far more familiar to him than anyone would guess. "So, that was him..."

"Boss?" Domino turned to face him, noticing that he seemed rather spaced out all of a sudden. "Are you alright?"

Giovanni looked up at her, his mouth stretching in a smile. "It's nothing. However, I do think I would like to get my hands on this special Pokemon. A Pokemon created to be the most powerful of them all, one of its kind... yes. I must claim it. But, this Ash... I want you to get information on him for me. He's one of the best Pokemon trainers, so it shouldn't be difficult."

"Of course, boss," Domino said, quickly packing up the equipment. "You seem quite interested in this boy. Is there a particular reason why?"

Giovanni did not reply, instead picking up his glass again and turning his chair around with the back facing Domino. Domino guessed he wasn't about to answer her question anytime soon and resigned herself to finishing what she was doing and then leaving the room. She would make sure Giovanni got the information on Ash as soon as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Ironically, in this chapter, it seems as if travelling by blimp would have been safer. But they did have a nasty knack of getting on Team Rocket blimps before...

* * *

Upon reaching Hamlin Island, Ash, Brock and May had discovered that the ferry only ran on certain days of the week and this day was not one of them. Luckily, rather than having to face another day stuck in the Orange Islands, they were able to board a much smaller ship sailing to Kanto. The weather had been pleasant at first, with the sun shining brightly and only a few clouds in the sky, but two hours into the journey, the clouds had rapidly multiplied and a light drizzle had started to splash down onto the deck. As the ship sailed onward, the rain seemed to get louder as it hammered on the roof of the tiny cabin where everyone sat, squished together on the seats available. Even if it was cramped, it was better than getting soaked.

"It's getting kind of bumpy, huh?" May swallowed nervously as she felt the ship give a sudden lurch. Earlier, the sea had been quite calm. "I sure hope the weather isn't going to get much worse."

Ash shifted on the seat until he was more comfortable where he sat between the wall and May. Pikachu sat in his lap, looking much more at ease than the cramped trio squished together on the small seat. The seat on the other side of the cabin was already taken up by the other passengers. "We just can't get a break, it seems," he said, smiling ruefully. "But this still beats crazy gun-toting Professors." His gaze fell on the bag sandwiched between his legs and he thought of the GS Ball again. That thing inside was dangerous. Would just keeping it in there really be enough?

"If we end up getting trapped in a storm, we're still going to be in a lot of danger," Brock said, clutching onto the seat as he struggled to stay upright. The ship's rocking was enough to make anyone lose their footing, let alone fall off a seat they could barely stay on in the first place. "Maybe we should have just waited another day for the ferry. It would have been better than this cramped boat."

"Yeah, but I want to get back home as soon as I can," Ash reminded him, sounding somewhat apologetic. He hadn't expected the weather to get this bad and the weather forecast apparently hadn't predicted it either. "It's not like anyone knew the weather would get this bad, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to get a boat all the way back to Kanto."

"I can't believe anyone would use a boat this small to travel so far." May winced as the boat lurched even harder this time. The sound of the rain hitting the cabin roof was so loud now, she could barely hear anyone speaking over it. "At least we're not going to be stuck on it all night. The captain said we'd be back by evening, didn't he?"

"That's if it can handle this weather," Brock muttered, speaking quietly as not to alarm the other people on the ship. There was no use in anyone panicking just yet, but they all knew that the weather could very easily get dangerous. Being stuck on a small, cramped boat was not ideal for dealing with such situations.

The ship continued to rock as it sailed on, buffeted by the furious waves. The sky became thick with heavy, grey clouds pouring down torrents of rain. Everyone in the cabin had fallen quiet, unsettled by the way the ship was moving in this weather and worrying about what would happen if the weather worsened. At least there was no lightning yet, which they could be thankful for since that could only mean the onset of a fierce storm.

Not so far behind them, a Magikarp shaped submarine followed, also on the way back to the Kanto shoreline. Jessie, James and Meowth pedalled on below the surface of the water, not at all bothered by the weather as they kept their course behind the boat. Had the boat been a bigger one, they might have boarded it but there was no way they could hide themselves for so long on something so small, so this time they had settled for simply using their submarine.

"Do you think we did the right thing calling the press?" James asked, looking somewhat confused. "I'm still not sure why we did it, but it looked like the media believed us because we saw them in front of the Pokemon Center with cameras."

"It's a rare Pokemon, one of it's kind, even if it's a crazy psycho and wants humans dead," Jessie replied. "The whole world deserves to know about it. Anyway, telling them what that woman was really like was rather satisfying, especially after she threw that stuff on my face." Jessie's face was still red and patchy from the burns, something she was not so impressed about.

"I still can't believe the twerp actually caught the Pokemon." Meowth shook his head in disbelief. "What was he thinking, just throwing that GS Ball out there? We're not actually going to try and get it, are we?"

"I'm thinking it's way out of our league." James smiled uncomfortably, unsettled by the memory of that thing that had emerged from the tube and slain Professor Ivy in such a horrific manner before their eyes. "You saw how powerful that thing was. We should leave it to the experts. I bet the boss would want to get his hands on it."

"Just think of the promotion we could get if we were the ones to hand it over to him." Jessie let out a wistful sigh, her eyes misting over for a moment as she imagined the three of them becoming top agents and Giovanni's best. "But even I'm not crazy enough to try getting a hold of it. The twerp's not likely to let that thing see the light of day anyway."

"But is it really okay for someone to get their hands on that thing?" James murmured, looking downwards with a doubtful expression. "You saw how scary it was. Could someone really control it?"

"It's still one of a kind and that makes it very valuable," said Meowth. "I don't like the circumstances that led to its creation, but it counts as a new Pokemon right? That power, in Team Rocket's hands... they might even be able to take over the world, and when Giovanni learns we were the ones who helped let the world know, he's bound to give us that promotion anyway!" He let out a rapturous sigh.

Jessie and James turned to stare at him in disbelief. Surely he couldn't think Team Rocket using something like that Pokemon was a good thing? But they knew Giovanni wouldn't pass up a chance like this and he would definitely take advantage of the raw power that Pokemon had to offer if it came into his hands. They quietly sighed as they turned away, Jessie looking back into the scope. Her eyes widened as she looked straight at an area of shining blue scales that looked quite familiar.

It was too late to even turn the submarine as they crashed into a certain large water Pokemon. Jessie let out a quiet curse, as James and Meowth looked at her in confusion. What had just happened? The female Rocket went still, turning her head to look back at them with a nervous grin.

"I think we may just have hit a Gyarados," Jessie said weakly.

"A Gyarados?" James and Meowth exclaimed in alarm. Gyarados was one of the largest and most violent water Pokemon that could be found in the sea. Such a Pokemon would not let them simply float by.

The angry roar of the Gyarados could just be heard through the metal walls and the submarine gave a massive lurch, as if something was moving it about. A sharp impact from the Gyarados's tail sent the submarine shooting through the surface of the water and flying into the air for a moment. Jessie looked through the scope, catching sight of the nearby boat for a second, and swallowed.

"Now it's throwing us up in the air," Jessie told them. "This does not look good."

"At least the submarine's pretty well built, right?" James held tightly onto Meowth, as the cat clung to him. "It won't actually break it apart, will it?"

"Let's just get pedalling and try to get away from it before it throws us about again! Cringing isn't going to help!" Jessie snapped as the submarine hit the surface of the water again. The three started frantically pedalling together, the submarine inching toward the boat and submerging once again.

Gyarados looked around, roaring as it tried to seek its prey. That strange metal Magikarp had collided with it and it was not impressed. However, it couldn't see the Magikarp anymore, but it did see the boat. The water Pokemon charged after it, thrashing about and sending a wave of water crashing onto the deck. Its tail slammed angrily into the side of the boat and it cried out again.

The captain of the boat knew the cry of a Gyarados well enough and realised that sudden hit to the side was not simply a wave hitting the vessel. He turned away from the tiller, looking toward the cabin. There had to be a good Pokemon trainer in there who could deal with the attacking Gyarados. It was strange that a Gyarados would suddenly attack in the middle of the sea, but there could be quite a few reasons for it. Most likely, it was in a foul temper and was taking it out on the boat, but what could possibly have driven it to start acting so violently?

"Hey!" The captain rushed to the door of the cabin, looking panicked. "Any of you good at battling? A Gyarados is attacking the boat!"

"A Gyarados?" Ash exclaimed in surprise. He quickly got up and ran out onto the deck, followed by May and Brock. They looked up at the roaring Pokemon, which seemed ready to attack the boat again. "Hey, you! What do you think you are doing?"

"Don't worry, we'll deal with it," May said, looking at the captain. "You just get back to sailing. We won't let it damage this boat." The captain nodded, looking slightly relieved, and hurried back to his position.

"It must be angry for some reason and that's causing it to attack us. I guess we just happened to be in its path," Brock said. "We'll have to try and calm it down somehow."

"Well, we'll just fight it until it goes away," Ash declared, grabbing a Pokeball. He threw it into the air, looking determined. "Go, Grotle!"

"Come on out, Beautifly!" May cried out, throwing Beautifly's Pokeball.

"Come out, Croagunk!" Brock threw Croagunk's Pokeball.

The three Pokemon appeared in front of them, looking at the enraged Gyarados and immediately preparing to battle. Gyarados stared back at them and angrily thrashed, eyes narrowing as it accepted the challenge.

"Grotle, use a Razor Leaf attack!" Ash ordered.

"Beautifly, use your Psychic attack," commanded May.

"Croagunk, Poison Sting attack," Brock called out.

Gyarados roared and thrashed as it was hit by a flurry of razor sharp leaves, followed by stinging poison barbs and a wave of Psychic energy. The combination of attacks was not enough to bring it down however and it retaliated by spewing out a giant jet of water, which slammed into Grotle, Beautifly and Croagunk. The powerful attack knocked them down for a moment, however Grotle and Croagunk quickly got back to their feet and Beautifly weakly fluttered back up into the air, drops of water flying off its beating wings.

"Try your Energy Ball next, Grotle," Ash said. May called out for Beautifly to use Psychic once more and Brock ordered another Poison Sting from Croagunk.

Gyarados cried out in rage as it was assailed yet again. It was starting to get disoriented from the attacks and tired from the powerful attacks, so it prepared for one last shot. A ball of energy built up in its mouth and a Hyper Beam blasted from its mouth, passing over the heads of the trainers. It had no particular target in mind, just wishing to let loose its fury.

Ash realised the Hyper Beam was going to hit somewhere behind them and turned, seeing Pikachu in its path. The electric Pokemon didn't seem to notice where the Hyper Beam was headed yet, so he quickly acted. "Look out, Pikachu!" Ash yelled, running toward Pikachu and snatching him up into his arms. He felt a massive impact strike his back, causing him to go flying through the air, and cried out as he slammed into the cabin wall. As Ash sank to the floor, darkness washed over him and he slumped over Pikachu, eyes closing shut.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed in shock. Ash had just carelessly defended him from an attack that caused him to even be knocked unconscious. It had been a case of bad timing and the wall's position had been rather unfortunate too. "Pikapi?" Pikachu worriedly shook Ash's shoulder.

"Ash!" Brock ran over to check on him, finding him to be simply unconscious. "It's alright, Pikachu. He's just been knocked out. May! Try and hold the Gyarados off a little longer, while I put him somewhere safe."

May nodded and grimly turned back to face the Gyarados as Brock picked up Ash and took him into the cabin. "Alright, Beautifly, hit it with a Stun Spore!" she exclaimed, clenching her fists.

Beautifly flapped its wings, releasing an orange mist that trapped Gyarados and caused paralysis to set in its body. The water Pokemon let out a frustrated roar as it tried to thrash about and found itself unable to move at all, its body having gone completely numb and still.

"Good job, Beautifly!" May praised the bug Pokemon, smiling triumphantly. The Gyarados was much less of a risk when it couldn't move. "Now use your Silver Wind attack."

Again, Beautifly quickly flapped its wings and a spiral of powdery silver scales streamed out, blown on a gust of wind that slammed right into Gyarados. It cried out in pain, the constant attacks finally taking their toll on its body.

"Looks like it's starting to weaken now," Brock pointed out as he came hurrying over. "One more attack should be enough to drive it off. Alright, Croagunk, let's finish this. Use Poison Jab this time."

Croagunk leaped up into the air, its fingers glowing pink. It drew back its arm and slammed its outstretched hand right into the lower part of Gyarados's jaw. Gyarados snapped out of paralysis and roared, drawing back while Croagunk dropped back down to the deck.

Gyarados was starting to tire of the constant attacks. Now, all it wanted was to dive back into the sea and stay away from these trainers with their irritating, strong Pokemon. Its rage had mostly died down now, giving way to mild frustration. It gave one half hearted thrash of the tail and drew back, watching them with a cautious stare in case they attacked again.

"It looks like Gyarados doesn't want to fight anymore. Thank goodness for that." May smiled in relief. "Fighting in the rain isn't very fun. I'm totally soaked." She shook her sopping wet hair about in annoyance.

"It's good that we didn't have to hurt it too much. It wouldn't be good to fight a wild water Pokemon to the point where it faints in the middle of the sea," Brock said. "It's giving up now and the ship is fine. Well, so long as the weather stays like this. You did a good job, Croagunk. Return." He held out the Pokeball, recalling it.

"Well done, Beautifly. Now you can have a nice rest," May said, recalling Beautifly into its Pokeball as well.

Inside the cabin, Pikachu was sitting on the edge of the seat, looking worriedly at Ash who lay still, sprawled across the seat. That had obviously been a nasty blow he had taken if it was enough to knock him right out. His ears pricked as Ash began to move. "Pika?"

Ash slowly sat up, his movements appearing stiff and jerky. Pikachu noticed that his face was devoid of any expression and his pupils were completely blank. This disturbed the electric mouse Pokemon, who knew that this was not a good sign.

"Interesting." The voice that came out of Ash's mouth certainly did not belong to the young trainer. He swung his legs to the floor, smiling slightly. "While he is unconscious, I can simply use his body."

"Pikapi?" Pikachu backed away, eyes widening in shock. Ash's expression was strange and he was speaking in a different voice. The only time he remembered seeing something like that happen was when Ash's body had been taken over by the ancient spirit of an evil king. That voice sounded very much like Justice's. "Pikachu pika!" he cried out in alarm, realising what was happening.

Ash, or whatever was controlling Ash, paid no attention to the shocked Pikachu as he unzipped his bag and reached inside it. Pikachu watched in confusion, realisation dawning on his face as the GS Ball was pulled out. Justice was trying to let himself out of it, possibly to do some serious damage. "Chu!" Pikachu wailed, grabbing onto Ash's arm. "Pikachu!"

The possessed Ash simply shrugged Pikachu off as he stood, then walked steadily out of the cabin. Pikachu hurried after him, eyes wide with fear. If that Pokemon got out of the GS Ball, it could even end up sinking this boat without even trying. They couldn't risk that happening.

"Oh, Ash, you're awake already?" May's face lit up with relief as she saw Ash come walking out of the cabin. "Thank goodness for that. We've managed to calm the Gyarados down now." Indeed, Gyarados was already sinking back down into the water, having had enough of fighting.

"Pikachu! Pikapi pikachu!" Pikachu ran ahead of Ash, crying out in alarm. He waved his arms frantically, trying to communicate to Brock and May that something was not right.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Brock asked, looking at him questioningly. Pikachu responded by pointing at Ash.

"Heh heh. It seems like my presence in his mind is getting much stronger. I can even use his body." Ash's mouth stretched into a grin and he lowered his head, the cap shadowing his blank eyes.

"Ah! That's Justice's voice, isn't it?" May exclaimed in horror. She caught sight of the GS Ball in Ash's hand. "What are you doing to Ash? How did you manage to use his body like that?"

"It looks like Justice can do more than just talk in his mind. Because Ash was unconscious, he was able to take control of his body, it seems." Brock gritted his teeth, wondering how they were supposed to get Ash out of Justice's control.

"That's correct." Ash held out his arm, raising the GS Ball. "Now I'll just let myself out." The GS Ball opened up and a flash of white light poured out of it, forming into the shape of Justice. "It's good to be back outside again." He softly chuckled.

"Why don't we just have Pikachu thunderbolt him like the last time he was possessed?" May suggested, her eyes lighting up. That certainly sounded like a good idea to her. Pikachu just turned and looked at her in disbelief. "What's wrong with that, Pikachu?"

"I don't think being controlled by an outside source is the same as having an evil spirit in your body," Brock spoke, an eyebrow raised. May let out a sigh as she realised he was right. "Also, he's soaking wet. I don't think it's worth the risk."

"Oh, yeah. That's true," May muttered, sounding downcast. How could she have suggested something so ridiculous? "Okay, Justice, you're out of the GS Ball, so how about letting Ash go?"

"Are you kidding me?" Justice was speaking on its own now, Ash standing still and not even moving as he remained under Justice's control. "If I let him go, he'll call me right back. No, I think I'll sentence you all to death in the sea and escape. If my... trainer," it said the word with obvious disgust, "is dead, then that means I'm free, right? Especially since I'm not inside that GS Ball. It will sink to the bottom of the sea with this boat and I'll go and wreak havoc on the world."

"Like we're going to let you do that!" Brock exclaimed. "There's got to be something that we can do..." He knew it was futile to attack Justice head on. The Pokemon was much too strong to take down.

"It's controlling Ash because he's unconscious, right?" May murmured, looking intent. If Ash became conscious again, then perhaps Justice could be stopped, but how to do that?

"I take it you were all worried about some random Gyarados attacking the boat? Well, there's always worse." Justice glowed with Psychic energy. Brock and May tensed, expecting a sudden attack, but nothing happened and they looked around in confusion. What was it doing now? "Take a good look," said the purple Pokemon, pointing an arm out to sea.

The two turned around to look in the direction which Justice was pointing and saw a large, blue shape moving across the sea. It had red markings and wide flippers. There was something quite familiar about it.

"It couldn't be... Kyogre?" May gasped, her eyes widening as she watched the legendary Water Pokemon approach. "You're summoning a legendary to attack us?"

"This is definitely not good. A Gyarados is nothing compared to a Pokemon that powerful." Brock looked worried. "At this rate, we may not be able to get out of this alright."

"No... there's got to be a way..." May protested, turning toward Ash. "Ash, wake up!" she exclaimed, hurrying toward him. "Please-" Suddenly, a blast of energy hit her and she screamed, falling to her knees.

"May!" Brock cried out. "Be careful!"

"Ash... please..." May struggled back to her feet and threw herself at him, throwing her arms around his body. "Ash, you've got to wake up!" she shouted desperately. Another blast of energy hit her, making her scream again.

"It's useless." Justice chuckled, blasting her with more energy. However, May continued to hold onto Ash, even as she screamed in pain from the attacks. She refused to let go. "He won't wake up so easily."

"I'm not going to let go of him, not even if I die trying. We'll die anyway if Kyogre attacks us!" May's eyes welled up with tears and she felt herself weakening from the attacks. She cried out as Justice's energy surged through her body. It wouldn't stop attacking her, but she would not let go. If she gave up, Kyogre would sink the boat and they would all end up drowning.

Ash felt as if he was waking up from a long sleep. He couldn't remember what had happened at first, all he knew was that someone was screaming. As consciousness returned to him, he realised that it was May. Something was hurting her.

May's legs gave way and she began to fall, a tear falling down her cheek. Before she hit the deck, a pair of hands grabbed her arms, arresting her descent. May weakly looked up into Ash's brown eyes. "Ash?"

"May?" Ash stared down at her in shock and confusion. She appeared to be hurt, but what had happened? Now he remembered, Gyarados's Hyper Beam had hit him when he was trying to protect Pikachu and he'd ended up hitting the wall.

"Thank goodness you woke up." May smiled as she knelt, gasping from the pain that was still wracking her body. "Hurry... Justice is... he's right there!"

Ash looked up, stunned at the sight of the Pokemon hovering above him, and it was only then that he realised he was holding the GS Ball. It was supposed to be safe inside his bag, so how come he was holding it right now?

"Pikapi!" Pikachu ran up and tugged on his trouser leg. There was no time for expressing his happiness at seeing Ash back to normal. "Kachupi!" he cried, pointing at the sea.

"Kyogre?" Ash's head was spinning and to say he was confused would be the understatement of the century. He stared at the large water Pokemon in disbelief. "What is going on? Why is Kyogre there?"

"Justice summoned Kyogre to attack and sink the boat! There's no time for explanations, just try and get it to stop what it's doing!" Brock exclaimed. Kyogre was so close to the boat now that it could hit them with Water Gun alone. There was no time to waste.

"Justice!" Ash snapped. "Tell Kyogre to stop what it's doing right now!"

"Why should I listen to you?" Justice sneered. "I think the sea would be a great place to send you all to your deaths. I don't care about the other humans on the boat either. They can drown too, then I'll go and find places to destroy."

"Well, you might not like it but I am your trainer now so will you please listen to me?" Ash shouted desperately. Like it would follow his orders, he thought, it hated all humans and wasn't about to start obeying one.

"Why should I? When you all drown, I'll be free to do as I wish now I'm not inside that disgusting contraption." Justice raised its head, looking at Kyogre who was now almost looming over the boat.

Brock quickly thought of an idea. "That's right. What if Ash recalls you into the GS Ball and then Kyogre sinks us? You would end up sinking with us too and being trapped in the GS Ball forever and there would be no chance of ever getting out. Right, Ash?"

Ash looked at him, then back at Justice. He didn't understand too well, but it sounded good. "That's right. So, unless you want to go down with us, call Kyogre off!" He raised the GS Ball threateningly.

Justice met his defiant gaze and let out a growl, realising it was defeated. "Fine," it snapped. It then concentrated its power on Kyogre, ordering it to leave. The legendary Pokemon disappeared as quickly as it had come. May and Brock let out sighs of relief as they saw it vanish from sight. The boat was saved.

"Good. Now get back in the GS Ball!" Ash held out the GS Ball, recalling the irate Pokemon. He put it in his pocket and pulled Grotle's Pokeball from the other pocket. "You return too, Grotle," he said, calling Grotle back inside.

"Pika!" Pikachu ran up to Ash's shoulder and nuzzled his cheek happily.

"Hey, Pikachu. You're okay, aren't you?" Ash smiled and rubbed Pikachu's head. Pikachu nodded. Ash knelt down in front of May, looking worried. "May, what happened? Are you in pain?"

"It's getting better... it's not hurting so much anymore." May smiled faintly. "You were unconscious and I was trying to get you to wake up. Justice didn't like it very much so he kept blasting me."

"You shouldn't have let yourself get hurt!" Ash exclaimed, looking horrified.

"Well, if I didn't, Kyogre would have drowned us so it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I got you to wake up, right?" May's smile widened. "It was worth the pain."

"I don't understand..." Ash muttered, shaking his head. "What happened? Why did I have the GS Ball and what was Justice doing out of it?"

"While you were unconscious, it was able to take control of your body," Brock explained, walking over to them. "After we calmed the Gyarados down, you came out with the GS Ball and let out Justice. It then summoned Kyogre."

"It... took control of me? While I was knocked out?" Ash asked weakly, lowering his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it. I thought I could control it. I never thought something like this could actually happen. We could all have died because of me!" He slammed the deck with his fist.

"Ash, don't blame yourself for it," May said sternly, the tone of her voice causing him to look up. "It wasn't your fault that happened. None of us have any idea of the extent of Justice's power, even you. You didn't exactly plan to get knocked out either."

"Why don't we get back inside now?" Brock suggested. "It's still raining and we aren't getting any drier like this. Everything's okay now, so don't worry about it, Ash."

"Right..." Ash muttered, getting to his feet with a glum expression. How could he not worry about it? Justice had just taken control of his own body and tried to drown them all. It could do more than just torture him through his mind. May stood up, wincing as her body ached, but she didn't complain. It would only make Ash feel even more guilty.

The three retreated into the cabin, taking their places on the seat. Ash stuffed the GS Ball back into the bag and zipped it up. He sat back, staring gloomily at the bag. How could that have happened? He'd practically let Justice take control of him. If it wasn't for May risking her life, they would have drowned. How could anyone say it was not his fault?

"You are a failure," Justice whispered in his mind. "You couldn't stop me while I had control of you. If you hadn't woken up when you did, you and your friends as well as those other people on the ship would be floating in the sea now. Doesn't it make you miserable, knowing how you almost sent everyone to their deaths?"

Ash screwed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, wishing he could block out Justice's voice, but it was useless. No matter what he did, he could always hear Justice mocking him.

"Pikapi..." Pikachu looked up at him worriedly. His trainer was obviously quite disturbed by what had just happened and he wished he could do something to make it better. Perhaps Ash catching that Pokemon hadn't been such a good idea after all.

May and Brock were also deeply worried about Ash now. They remembered how Justice said its presence in his mind was growing much stronger, though all Ash had said was that it was talking to him. Apparently, it was much worse. May frowned as she saw Ash with his eyes shut. Was Justice speaking to him right now?

"Don't listen to it, Ash," May said softly. "Just try and ignore him."

"It's so hard to!" Ash exclaimed in frustration. "I'm trying to ignore it, but it's just too hard."

"You have to keep trying," Brock said. "You can't let that thing control you. What if it starts doing it when you're awake?"

"I know," Ash murmured softly, hanging his head. "I won't let Justice take over my body again. I've got to try. I don't want anyone to get hurt again."

The weather was beginning to calm down by now, the boat not rocking quite so much as the waves subsided. Eventually, the rain was reduced to a mere drizzle and it appeared the journey back to Kanto over the sea would be a success after all.


	9. Chapter 9

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Poor Ash. He just can't get a break, can he? So much stuff is happening to him and it just gets worse in this chapter.

* * *

Delia had left the laboratory over an hour ago and Professor Oak was sitting in front of his computer, working hard. He was currently reading some data on Sinnoh Pokemon and the different forms some of them had. It was quite a fascinating read for the Pokemon Professor. He was looking at data on Burmy when Tracey walked into the room, holding a steaming mug of coffee in one hand.

"I just saw a helicopter go by right now," Tracey announced, approaching the desk. It was enough of a rarity that he considered it to be worth mentioning. "It was going in a different direction from the reserve though, so I hardly think it's another Team Rocket plot. Just in case, I'll have Bulbasaur keep a lookout though."

"Well, let's hope you're right. That is odd though, we don't see a lot of helicopters in Pallet Town so I wonder who it could be." Professor Oak rubbed his chin curiously. "Did you get a good look at it?"

"Actually, it was a bit too far away for me to see it clearly. Here's the coffee." Tracey placed the mug down upon the desk. He glanced at a clock on the wall, noticing the time. It was getting quite late in the afternoon now. "I wonder when Ash and the others will be getting back. It should be soon, right?"

"Oh, that's right," Professor Oak said in sudden realisation, turning his gaze away from the computer screen. "I haven't told you yet about what I saw on the news earlier today." Tracey looked blankly at him. "Ash was actually on television." He proceeded to tell Tracey everything that he and Delia had heard from the news channel earlier that afternoon.

When Tracey thought the helicopter wasn't part of some Team Rocket plot, he couldn't have been more wrong. However, it was not rare Pokemon they were trying to get, so the reserve was safe. Giovanni was sitting in the front of that very helicopter, an agent sitting next to him and flying the helicopter over Pallet Town. Another agent was in the helicopter as well, on the seat behind Giovanni.

Giovanni reached up to the front pocket of his orange jacket and reached into it, taking hold of a folded piece of paper between his fingers. He pulled it out and carefully unfolded it, smoothing the creases as he began to read it again. Domino had got the information he asked for, printing out a detailed profile that she found while searching on the Internet. It was certainly useful, Giovanni thought, staring down at the paper.

A picture of the young trainer, Ash Ketchum, smiled up at him. A Pikachu was sitting on his shoulder. His personal details were right below the picture, identifying him as a Pokemon trainer hailing from Pallet Town. His starter Pokemon was a Pikachu given to him by Professor Oak. The rest of the text detailed his achievements, including competing in several leagues and even winning the Battle Frontier. Giovanni smiled as he read the text, feeling quite impressed. This boy certainly was a powerful Pokemon trainer. Straight after receiving this profile and taking a look at it, Giovanni had ordered that a helicopter take him to Pallet Town.

The Team Rocket leader was quite aware that Ash would not be home yet, especially if he had been in the Orange Archipelago just that very morning. It took almost a day even by blimp and a bit longer on a fast boat. The ferry took much longer than that too. Despite that, it wasn't Ash Giovanni had come here for, but someone else. Giovanni turned his head and looked out the window, catching sight of a white house with a red roof.

"There it is," Giovanni spoke. "Land the helicopter near that house over there."

The helicopter flew on for a few more metres then halted in mid-air, slowly descending to the ground and bringing them even closer to the house. Upon landing, the doors opened and Giovanni stepped out, followed by the two agents. He approached the house and stopped on the paved pathway, looking around. The garden was quite impressive, he noticed. The two agents remained behind him as he walked to the door, raising a fist and rapping sharply upon it.

The door opened less than a minute later, revealing a Mr. Mime standing in the doorway. "Mime?" It looked from the tall man in the orange suit to the two men in black uniform standing behind him. The Psychic Pokemon got a bad feeling just looking at these people, sensing they weren't simply popping over for a cup of coffee. "Mime, mime," it said in an annoyed tone.

"What's wrong, Mimey?" Delia walked over, wondering why Mimey was talking in such a tone to visitors. She stepped in the doorway, noticing just who her visitors were. The men wearing black uniforms, she didn't recognise, but the other man was someone she knew upon sight. "Giovanni?"

"It has been a long while since we last spoke, Delia. Still living in Pallet Town, I see." Giovanni's mouth stretched in the vaguest hint of a smile. "You have a very nice garden."

"Why are you here?" Delia asked, placing a hand on the doorframe and frowning slightly. "I never thought I would ever see you again."

"Oh, you don't seem so happy to see me again." Giovanni folded his arms and exhaled heavily. "Anyway, I would rather not waste time making small talk. Did you see the news today? It was very interesting."

"The news?" Delia repeated. Her face paled as her mind flashed back to that time earlier in the afternoon when she and Samuel had watched the television together and listened to Ash talking about what happened. "Oh, so you saw it too? Is that what this is about?" She glanced at the two people behind him, noticing the red R on their shirts. "These people, aren't they Team Rocket members? Why are you with them?"

"There's one thing you didn't know about me," Giovanni said, smirking as he explained. He didn't tell many people outside of Team Rocket, but she would hardly be able to avoid knowing. "Up until just over thirteen years ago, my mother ran Team Rocket. I inherited it from her after that." He paused, seeing Delia's eyes widen in surprise. She hadn't been expecting to hear something like that.

"Thirteen years ago, you became the leader of Team Rocket?" Delia drew in a sharp breath. "Then, that's why you just up and left without a word and I never saw you again?" She frowned, showing she still wasn't impressed the way he had just disappeared like that.

"I guess you're still a bit upset about me abandoning you like that, especially since you'd just had our son. Ash had grown up and become a fine Pokemon trainer, I see."

Delia's eyes narrowed and her body tensed. "You came here for Ash? I'm not going to let you see him, especially if you're the leader of an evil syndicate!" she exclaimed. "You had the chance to be a father thirteen years ago and you threw it away."

"Mime, mime!" Mr. Mime glared up at Giovanni, a warning that the leader of Team Rocket merely ignored. Of course the Pokemon would be upset by his presence if Delia was also upset.

"I was amazed that he managed to catch what sounds like such a powerful Pokemon, and one of a kind too." Giovanni sighed wistfully. "I think I would like to get my hands on this rare and powerful Pokemon."

"You stay away from him," Delia ordered, her voice sharp with anger. Giovanni just chuckled. "What are you planning to do? Ash isn't even here right now."

"Of course he wouldn't be. That isn't what I came for anyway," Giovanni told her. He glanced at the grunts standing behind him. "Now, I would like you to come with me, but I don't want to have to force you. Will you come quietly?"

Delia backed away from the door in shock. It was apparent that they had come to take her away from here. "Mimey, use your Psychic attack on them!" she ordered, hoping it would provide enough of a distraction for her to at least get away.

Before the Mr. Mime could do anything, one of the Team Rocket agents swiftly sent out a Gengar. He called for a Shadow Ball attack and Gengar complied, sending a sphere of dark energy crashing into Mimey's chest. "Mime!" it screamed in pain as it crashed to the floor.

"Mimey!" Delia cried out in horror. It was the only Pokemon that she had and it was clear these Rockets were more powerful than the ones she, Tracey and Professor Oak had encountered in the preserve some time ago. There was no chance of getting away now.

"Please, Delia, why don't you just come with us?" Giovanni asked again. "You don't really have a choice in the matter."

"Why do you want to take me?" Delia asked in a shaky voice as the two Rocket agents approached her. They took her by the arms and held her tightly. "What are you up to, Giovanni?"

"I'll explain later." Giovanni smiled coldly and turned around, walking out of the house. "Let's take her to the helicopter now."

"No! Let me go!" Delia struggled uselessly as the agents marched her out of the house. They were too strong for her to resist. There was nobody outside who could help her either and probably no-one would see her being kidnapped either. Mimey struggled to its feet and tried to run after them, but the Gengar threw another Shadow Ball at it before it was recalled and Mr. Mime collapsed in pain again, looking dismayed.

Delia was pushed into the helicopter and held tightly by the agent who sat next to her so that she wouldn't attempt escaping out the door. She sat still, fear pooling up in her gut. What was Giovanni planning and what did it have to do with Ash and that Pokemon? She wasn't sure she really wanted to know.

Mimey struggled to the door, watching in horror as the helicopter's blades began to whirl and it lifted into the air. "Mime!" The horrified Pokemon wished there was something it could do as the helicopter flew away, but it knew it couldn't do anything for Delia now. Those Team Rocket people had taken her away and it had failed in protecting her.

"Is there anything else you didn't tell me, Giovanni?" Delia asked in an accusing tone as she looked out of the window at Pallet Town. "I certainly had no idea you were the heir to an evil syndicate."

"Now come on, Delia, there's no need to sound so bitter. I just thought I would prefer to run Team Rocket instead of fathering a child. Anyway, it sounds like you did fine," Giovanni said. "I looked you up a few years later out of interest and it appeared you had married some man by the name of Ketchum, except he had died not long ago at the time. What a shame."

"He was certainly more like a father to Ash than you. He didn't run out on us for one thing," Delia said tightly, clutching her fists. She didn't like to talk about the man who had died when Ash was barely seven years old, the man she had married and considered the love of her life. It was too painful to talk about, especially with the man who had abandoned her and their child.

"So you see, you didn't need me so badly after all." Giovanni turned to look at the agent sitting next to Delia. "You have the cellphone, so make the call now. It's not like they can stop us at this point."

The agent nodded and pulled a cellphone from his pocket, along with a slip. A number was printed on the slip, which he started dialling.

Professor Oak was still reading the data on the forms of Sinnoh Pokemon, when the phone started ringing. He got up and walked over to pick up the receiver, seeing the 'No Video' text displayed on the screen. Either they had not turned their own video on or it was coming from a cell, he supposed.

"Professor Oak's Pokemon Laboratory, Pallet Town. This is Professor Oak speaking, how may I help you?" he asked.

"This is Team Rocket," the agent replied. "Professor Oak, we have a friend of yours here. Perhaps she would like to speak to you."

As the agent held the phone toward Delia, she exclaimed, "Professor! Help me! Team Rocket is-"

"That will do." The agent put the phone back to his ear, smiling. He hardly intended for them to have a lengthy conversation.

"Delia!" Professor Oak exclaimed in shock, his eyes widening. "What are you doing with her, you monster?"

"We are taking her with us for a while. She will not be harmed," said the agent in a calm voice. "Now, this is what you must do. Do not try to do anything foolish like calling the police. When her son gets home, you tell him what's happened. I'm sure a great Pokemon trainer like him isn't going to be afraid of facing Team Rocket. That is all." He then turned the cellphone off.

Professor Oak heard the click over the line and the video screen turned off, confirming that the line had been cut off. He continued to stare at the blank screen in despair, horrified by the thought of Delia being kidnapped. Those Team Rocket monsters had taken her, and by the sound of it, they weren't the same people Ash encountered on a daily basis nor were they the ones who tried to rob the preserve. No, these people were actually dangerous.

"Tracey!" Professor Oak called out, staggering to his feet. His voice sounded hoarse. "Tracey, where are you?"

"Professor?" Tracey hurried into the room a minute later at the sound of his voice. "What's the matter?" he asked immediately upon noticing his pale face.

"Delia... something's happened... can you run to the Ketchum house and check? Mimey might even have been hurt or stolen... Team Rocket..." Professor Oak almost sounded incoherent in his shock, but Tracey understood.

"I'll go over there right away." Tracey nodded and turned, hurrying out of the laboratory as he headed toward the house. Professor Oak stood in the middle of the room, feeling completely bewildered. The Sinnoh data was entirely forgotten.

"Delia..." he whispered, shaking and clenching his fists. "Why did they take her?" He remembered Tracey mentioning the helicopter just a few minutes ago. That helicopter must have been Team Rocket after all, except instead of trying to steal Pokemom, they were aiming to kidnap a person.

Tracey soon returned to the lab with an injured Mr. Mime slung over his back. "You were right, Professor, they attacked Mimey. It needs treatment." Mimey was quickly treated. The Psychic Pokemon appeared quite distressed after having seen Delia be taken away and kept shouting its name.

"It's okay, Mimey, we know what's happened," Professor Oak said gently in an effort to placate it. "Team Rocket took Delia away, didn't they? But you tried to help her, didn't you?" The Mr. Mime nodded, looking disappointed.

"Don't feel bad about it, Mimey. People in Team Rocket must have pretty strong Pokemon after all. I'm sure you did your best," Tracey spoke. "So, what do we do now, Professor? Should we call the police?"

"Team Rocket said not to, but we may have to," Professor Oak said wearily, sitting down on the sofa. "I think they want me to tell Ash first, but I don't understand what they are up to. Why would they take his mother?"

"First that stuff with that crazy Pokemon you told me about and now this?" Tracey shook his head. "Poor Ash can't seem to get a break. I hope we can get Mrs Ketchum back soon. Team Rocket are terrible people."

Professor Oak sank into his chair, staring at the computer screen which still displayed the Sinnoh data, but he wasn't looking at it. He was lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out what Team Rocket was up to. It seemed much too coincidental that this had happened so soon after that report on the news. The two had to be connected somehow. Ash had caught a one of a kind Pokemon, that was supposed to be far more powerful than any real Pokemon. An evil gang that stole Pokemon would definitely be interested in that.

It wasn't until late in the evening, when the sun was starting to set, that Ash, May and Brock returned to Pallet Town. They were all tired after the long trip over the sea in such a cramped boat and immensely relieved to back on solid ground.

"I can't wait to eat a nice hot dinner and sleep in a comfortable bed," Ash said dreamily as they walked toward his home. "I really don't know what I'm going to tell Mom and Professor Oak about what happened over there. I don't want them to freak out."

"They will freak out if they hear about that Pokemon you're carrying," May said, frowning slightly. "What are you going to do about it? It's not safe to be carrying it around."

"I know. I'll figure something out." Ash raised a clenched fist. "I can't let anybody get hurt again."

"Well, I hope you find a way," Brock said. "That thing is quite dangerous. You can't afford to let it get out of the GS Ball, because more people could get hurt or worse." Ash only nodded in response.

Eventually, they saw Ash's house in the distance and walked up, relieved to have reached their destination at last. Ash pushed the door opened and stepped inside. "Mom? I'm home!" he called. There was only silence. "Mimey? Anybody home?"

"Maybe they are at the lab," Brock suggested, after a few seconds of silence. "Let's head over there."

"It's kind of late to be over there, but I guess you must be right." Ash pulled the door shut. "This is getting to be a bit of a habit."

"Isn't it almost time for dinner? Maybe she's eating over there. After all, they didn't know when exactly we'd be getting back," May guessed, as the trio turned away and started walking toward the lab. "I hope they leave us something to eat."

As soon as they reached the lab, Ash was first inside, hurrying through the hallway. "Professor Oak? Mom? I'm back!" He came to a stop as Tracey came out of a room. "Hey, Tracey."

"You're back?" Tracey looked from Ash to May and Brock. "Well, you came back sooner than any of us expected."

"We even had to come back on a tiny boat because Ash was so desperate to get back here as soon as possible," May spoke up. "We had quite the adventure while we were on the Orange Islands."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did," Tracey replied. Ash gave him a confused stare, not realising Tracey already knew everything that had happened while they were on Valencia Island. "But I wouldn't start relaxing yet if I were you."

"Oh, Ash, you're back?" Professor Oak stepped out in the hallway, looking relieved. "Thank goodness. I'm sure you're all tired after your journey, but we've got something rather serious to talk about."

"Has something happened?" Brock asked, looking worried.

"Let's just go sit down and talk," Professor Oak replied, gesturing at the living room. "It's quite serious."

"Really?" Ash wondered what it could be. Perhaps Professor Oak had already heard about what happened on Valencia Island and he was going to get a lecture. He sat down on the sofa, looking nervously at Professor Oak. "Where is Mom anyway? Why is Mimey here?" He had just noticed Mimey glumly sitting in a corner of the room and staring at the floor.

"Has something happened to Mrs Ketchum?" May asked as she and Brock sat down on the sofa. "Is that what this is about?"

Ash looked at her in shock, then back to Professor Oak. "What is it?" he asked, sounding panicked. "What happened to Mom?"

"Calm down, Ash. I'm sure she's fine," Professor Oak said quickly. "But first, we need to talk about your little interview this morning."

"Interview?" Ash echoed. He recalled that morning in the Pokemon Center and all those people with microphones and a camera. "Oh, you mean... wait, don't tell me you saw that?" he cried out, horrorstruck.

"Yes, Ash, I did. It was on the news this afternoon and, well, I can think of better things to watch at lunchtime," Professor Oak said, sighing as he finished speaking. "Your mom and I were rather shocked to hear about Professor Ivy and what she did, from a television for that matter."

"I was hoping to tell you myself," Ash muttered, hanging his head in shame. "I bet Mom was pretty mad at me for getting into trouble. But you haven't told me where she is yet. Why aren't you telling me?"

"There were a lot of people there," Brock said, trying to defend Ash. "They were rather pushy and it was difficult to get out of it. So Ash just did the easiest thing and talked to them, because that was what they wanted."

"Now I'm hoping my parents and Max didn't see it," May groaned. "I should call home and make sure of it."

"I'll tell you in a minute, Ash," Professor Oak assured him. "First, let's talk about this Pokemon that Professor Ivy created. It's extremely powerful, isn't it?" Ash nodded. "You tried to fight it and ended up catching it in the GS Ball?"

"Uh-huh. It's in my bag right now," Ash replied.

"A one of a kind, powerful Pokemon." Professor Oak frowned. "It's quite appealing to Pokemon thieves, isn't it? For example, Team Rocket?"

"Are you kidding? I deal with them all the time because they keep trying to take Pikachu!" Ash rubbed Pikachu's head, looking down at the Pokemon sitting in his lap. "I'm not afraid of them."

Professor Oak stared at him and an uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"Um, Ash?" Brock said finally. "I don't think he was talking about Jessie, James and Meowth."

"Or Botch and Cassidy before you think that," Tracey added, not realising he had messed up with saying Butch's name. Few people ever got it right after all.

"Team Rocket is an evil gang that steals Pokemon, especially rare ones, right?" May asked. "They must actually be pretty dangerous. I don't think Jessie and James really represent them so well."

"That's right, May. The Team Rocket agents we've met were practically harmless," Professor Oak agreed. "That doesn't mean Team Rocket is really like that."

Ash frowned intently, remembering the time they had met Mewtwo at the Purity Lake. There had been flying ships everywhere and so many Rockets, trying to take the clones and even running the risk of killing Mewtwo in an effort to control him. Then, long before that, there had been the attack on the St. Anne, causing it to sink. "You're right," he said, looking up. "There are dangerous people in Team Rocket. But what does that mean?"

"Whoever saw the news learned that you fought this unique, pokemon Pokemon and caught it in the GS Ball." Professor Oak said. "That means people who want to get their hands on it will target you to try and claim the Pokemon."

"Oh..." Ash murmured quietly, looking at Pikachu with a worried expression. "Then... that means I shouldn't have told them that I was the one to capture it."

"They already knew about you capturing the Pokemon, Ash. I saw the news. That anonymous caller told the media about what Professor Ivy was doing and the fact you were the one to capture it. The damage was done even before you did that interview," Professor Oak said gently. "They just wanted to hear it from your own mouth, even though they already knew most of the details. But telling the press about you catching the Pokemon was the worst thing the anonymous caller could possibly have done."

"Does that mean people like Team Rocket are going to target Ash?" Brock asked.

"They already are," Professor Oak replied grimly.

May let out a gasp as she realised something. Brock quickly caught on as well, his mouth dropping open in shock. Ash looked at them blankly, wondering what was wrong.

"What is it, Brock? May? Why are you two looking at me like that?" Ash asked, as they looked at him in disbelief. "Come on, this isn't funny! Where's Mom, and what do you mean Team Rocket is already targeting me? I haven't seen them."

"Oh, Ash, can you really not figure it out?" Tracey looked exasperated.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, waving its arms. "Pikapi, pi kachu pika!" He had also figured out what was going on. Ash gave him a blank look, then looked over his shoulder at Mr. Mime who was still sitting there with a sad expression.

It suddenly occurred to him and Ash leaped up from the sofa, forgetting about Pikachu who fell to the floor. "Then are you saying... Team Rocket... they took my mom?"

Professor Oak just nodded slowly, confirming Ash's worst fears. Ash drew in a shaky breath and clenched his fists.

"No... no way..." Ash's vision was starting to blur and he felt dizzy. "It can't be..." His voice trailed off as the familiar wave of darkness washed over him and he knew no more.

"Ash!" May cried out in shock as he fell backward onto the sofa. She took hold of him and pulled him up until he was in a more comfortable sitting position. "Poor you," she whispered. Tracey went to grab a blanket and draped it over Ash, tucking it in around his body.

"I can't believe this!" Brock exclaimed angrily. "Ash is dealing with enough already without Team Rocket kidnapping Mrs. Ketchum! How much more is he going to have to put up with?"

"Pikapi..." Pikachu jumped back onto the sofa and looked up at Ash's calm, pale face in pity. He knew Ash was hurting a lot right now. "Chu."

"What do you mean, Brock?" Professor Oak asked. "When you said he was dealing with enough already, it sounded pretty serious."

"There's a lot to talk about. Oh, yeah..." May picked up Ash's bag which was on the floor. "We'd better keep an eye on this just in case."

"Why don't we talk about it somewhere else? Ash needs to rest," Brock suggested.

"Of course. Let's go into the kitchen," said Professor Oak.

Pikachu remained on the sofa as everyone left the room and then curled up on Ash's lap, looking up at him in worry. He really hoped that Justice wouldn't try to do anything with Ash right now. At least May had taken the bag with her, so the GS Ball would be out of reach. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

In the kitchen, Brock and May explained the gruelling details to Professor Oak and Tracey. They talked about everything from the Pokemon talking in Ash's mind to what had happened on the ship earlier that day. Ash probably wouldn't have appreciated them telling Professor Oak the details while he was asleep, but they were worried enough about him that they would take matters in their own hands.

"I can't believe this." Professor Oak held his head in his hands, a look of dismay on his face. "The Pokemon can even manipulate him? That's terrible. He caught that Pokemon to protect everyone and this has to happen to him... he must be suffering so much right now."

"It sounds like a terrifying Pokemon if it can even summon a legendary and control it," Tracey said, his eyes wide in shock. "No wonder it has to be kept in the GS Ball at all times."

"Keeping it in the GS Ball isn't making things any easier for Ash," May said sadly. "He's taken on this huge burden he never wanted in the first place, just because he didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"He had no idea what would happen if he captured it. I can't help but wonder what that Pokemon's doing to his mind. Is it really just talking to him?" Brock spoke. "I'm not sure Ash has been telling us the whole truth. Would a Pokemon so cruel really just be having a chat with him?"

"Ash is probably keeping quiet because he doesn't want us to worry. It's so like him, huh?" May clenched a fist, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I wish he would just talk to us instead of suffering."

"Well, we're going to try and help him, no matter what he says," Tracey said confidently. "The most important thing for him now is that we're here for him."

"You're right, Tracey. Ash needs us to help him, even if he doesn't think so. The most important thing to do right now is find out exactly what Team Rocket wants and how exactly we're supposed to get Delia back," Professor Oak said. "They probably want the Pokemon in exchange for her."

In the living room, Ash was waking up. He moaned softly, stirring underneath the blanket and opened his eyes. For a moment, he wasn't sure where he was, then he remembered coming over to the laboratory. He must have passed out right in the living room.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu was awoken by Ash moving and looked up.

"Pikachu..." Ash pushed aside the blanket and reached out to stroke him. "It's true, isn't it? Team Rocket, they just took Mom away... why... why did they have to go and do that?" His eyes welled up with tears and he pulled Pikachu in a tight hug. "It's not fair. Mom had nothing to do with this. Why did they go and kidnap her?" The tears dripped down his cheeks as he sniffled. Pikachu licked away the tears as he tried to comfort him, looking up sadly.

Ash got up from the sofa, holding Pikachu and followed the sound of voices which led him to the kitchen. He felt a little stung when he saw his bag was there. Had they been expecting him to get controlled and send out Justice again just because he fainted? "Hey, everyone. I'm sorry I fainted like that there."

"Oh, nonsense. You've been through a lot lately," Professor Oak said. "Are you feeling okay? I mean, apart from knowing your mother's been kidnapped."

"I... I don't know." Ash sighed. "Did Team Rocket just take her because of the Pokemon? What do I have to do to get her back?"

"I don't know yet. All Team Rocket said over the phone was to not call the police and that I was supposed to tell you," Professor Oak replied. "Perhaps they intend to contact you later. It's getting late now, so we can't do anything right now. I'll make some dinner for us all and then you can go home and rest. There's not enough space here for all of you, I'm afraid. Is that alright?"

"That's okay. I don't mind going home tonight and Brock and May can stay there." Ash nodded. He hoped Team Rocket would contact him soon, otherwise he would probably end up taking matters into his own hands. They wouldn't get away with it.

After dinner, Ash returned home, Brock, May and Mimey coming along. He immediately went to bed and stared at the ceiling until he fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion. This time, Justice didn't bother him. It figured it didn't need to do anything, judging by the state Ash was in. His frustration, sadness and anger was all it needed to work on.


	10. Chapter 10

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

May is appearing in Sinnoh in the anime. Well, that's interesting and screws with Dawn and May meeting in this fic, but it's just a small thing, so that's okay. I don't think we'll find out she went insane and released Blaziken either, so I can relax. And, yes, I am very happy that May is going to be reappearing.

* * *

It was quite late in the morning when Ash woke up. For a second, he was happy to be in his own bed back home in Pallet Town, but then he remembered what had happened the day before and the world instantly came crashing down around him. A dangerous Pokemon was slowly taking over his mind and Team Rocket had the nerve to kidnap his mother. Could life possibly get any worse right now? He really did not want to know the answer to that question.

Ash clambered down the ladder to the floor, Pikachu on his shoulder. He glanced at the neatly made pile of blankets that served for a makeshift bed, seeing that Brock was already up before him. He reached for his slippers, putting them on before he left the room. As he headed down the stairs, the appetising smell of pancakes wafted toward him. Ash approached the dining table, seeing Brock standing over the oven and May sitting at the table, devouring a pancake with relish.

"Oh, good, you're up." Brock looked over his shoulder at Ash. "I decided I would make my special pancakes this morning. Next one's almost ready, so just take a seat."

"I'd forgotten how good his pancakes were." May let out a rapturous sigh of pleasure. She watched Ash as he pulled back a chair and sat down. "Did you sleep any better last night?"

"Somehow, I managed to." Ash stared at the table, his shoulders hunched over. "I guess you're just glad I didn't go crazy and kill you both in your sleep." He didn't even try to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"Ash?" May recoiled in shock. "What are you talking about? Of course we didn't expect you to... why would you say something like that?"

"You couldn't even leave my bag with me when I was passed out in Professor Oak's living room," Ash said in a flat tone. "You guys don't trust me, do you? You think I'll just let it take over my mind again if it tries to."

"It was only a precaution, Ash," Brock said, walking over and placing a plate in front of him. "You don't know that you'll be able to deal with it if it happens again, and we only wanted to make sure it couldn't be let out a second time."

"I guess so, but it still hurt," Ash muttered, half-heartedly lifting his fork. "It didn't even try to do anything while I was asleep."

"Sorry, Ash... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings by taking it." May lowered her head with a guilty expression. "I just thought it would be a good idea to keep the GS Ball away since you passed out again."

"Yeah, I understand, but I don't want this. I don't want everyone to be afraid of me..." Ash's voice quavered in midsentence and he broke off for a second, trying to compose himself before he resumed speaking. "You're all thinking I could fall under the Pokemon's control again and do something terrible, right?"

"Of course not. Ash, you are not a threat to anyone," Brock said, a hint of sternness in his voice. "We believe you can find a way to handle this, somehow. We just want to help you in whatever way we can."

Ash looked up at him, then sighed quietly and turned back to his pancake, cutting it up with slow, deliberate strokes. The pancake tasted quite delicious and it was enough to lift his spirits just slightly. Pikachu dropped to the floor as a bowl of Pokemon food was placed down and happily ate his own breakfast.

May watched him for a few seconds, then resumed eating her food, looking glum as she chewed on the delicious food. What had she been thinking? They could try to keep themselves safe, but it wasn't fair to hurt Ash's feelings in the process. Of course he wanted everyone to be safe, but he didn't want to be treated any differently because of that Pokemon. Yet, she couldn't help but worry, wondering what would happen if it completely seized Ash's mind. It was possible, wasn't it? That unspoken question had to be at the back of everyone's minds. What if?

The morning passed by in silence, Ash feeling too worried about everything to even strike up a conversation. He kept watching the phone, wondering if Team Rocket really intended to call him. Why wouldn't they? They had to contact him and tell him the conditions for the return of his mother since they couldn't have taken her for no reason at all. He was quite sure they simply wanted to have Justice in exchange. Even if it was powerful and dangerous, Ash couldn't help thinking it would be better to just hand over the Pokemon and be free of it. He didn't say it to anyone, suspecting they wouldn't take to the idea as well as he hoped. Handing a destructive Pokemon to an evil syndicate wasn't always the best option, but what about his mother? Ash felt torn as he thought about it. Which one was really the right choice? There wasn't one after all, was there?

"Ash? I'm going to go out and buy us some food for lunch and dinner," Brock said, looking over to where Ash was sitting on the armchair while watching the phone with a bleak stare. "Is there something you would like?"

"I don't care," Ash mumbled, having some more important things on his mind than food right now. "Get whatever you want." He realised he sounded a bit blunt there and winced. "Sorry, I... I'm just not thinking much about food."

"It's okay. I understand," Brock said, glancing at the phone. "I take it you're waiting for a phone call?"

Ash nodded, his eyes narrowing. "That's what they are going to do, right? Phone me and tell me exactly what I have to do so that they will let Mom go. I wish they would hurry up and do it. I'm sick of waiting."

"I'm going out as well," May said, hurrying down the stairs. "I want to go to Professor Oak's laboratory and spend some time with my Bulbasaur. You don't want to come along, Ash?" Ash just shook his head. "Oh, alright then. See you later."

Ash listened to the sound of the door closing behind him, signalling that his friends had just left the house. "Well, at least they trust me enough to leave me in the house alone," he said, glancing at Pikachu. "It's not like anything is going to happen, right, Pikachu?" Ash rubbed Pikachu's head, as Pikachu nodded and let out a cheery "Pika." Of course Pikachu trusted him, and Ash was quite relieved for that. If his own best friend started doubting him, what hope did he have left?

"Ash. Listen to me."

Justice's voice. When had he last heard it? Surprisingly, Justice had been giving him a break for a while now. Ash frowned, swearing that he wouldn't listen to the voice. He stared at the phone, concentrating on just doing that. If only it would ring...

"I can help you out. Think about it. They might not even call today. Maybe they just want to let you stew for a while and agonise, wondering why they won't just contact you."

'Why would you even help me out?' Ash thought, not speaking out loud since he didn't want to alarm Pikachu. 'You've been nothing but trouble ever since you hatched from that tube. You've been torturing me in my sleep and even controlling my body.'

"Because I can." Justice sounded sincere, yet there was a hint of smugness in its tone. "I could easily find out where their base is and take you there. I can teleport to anywhere I want."

'Really... no! You're just trying to trick me, aren't you?' Ash gritted his teeth in frustration. It was actually quite hard to ignore the Pokemon, no matter how much he wanted to. He knew listening to it was bad. 'I'll just wait for them to call. I don't need your help.'

"Are you sure? Think of your mother. She must be quite scared, all by herself in their base, wondering what is going to happen to her, and with all those terrible Rockets there. I can take you to them..."

"Stop it!" Ash exclaimed, driving his fist into the arm of the chair. He flinched, realising he'd shouted out. Thank goodness Brock and May weren't around to hear him. Ash nervously patted the worried Pikachu's head. "It's okay, Pikachu. Really."

"You want to do it, don't you? I can feel your desire to go right over there and do what you can to get your mother back from Team Rocket. You don't want to keep waiting, Ash. I could take you there in less than a minute."

'But... what are you up to?' Ash demanded to know. 'This is a trap, isn't it? I don't understand why you would help me.'

"Because I find it quite boring that all you are doing is sitting there and staring at a phone by yourself." Justice chuckled softly. "I want to see what you will do when you're up against those people. You will have to face them anyway if they ever contact you, right? It will just be sooner than later."

Ash swallowed heavily, an agonised expression on his face. Of course he wanted to go up to them as soon as possible, but this was a crazy Pokemon that hated humans offering to help him. Yet, his desires were winning over his commonsense. He wanted to do it so badly. His feelings were surging, stronger than before, as if they were being fueled. Justice was feeding off his emotions, overpowering him, but he didn't realise it. 'Alright then. I don't know what you're really up to, but I'm sick of just sitting here and waiting for a phone call that I have no idea of when it will happen!'

"Pikapi?" Pikachu was surprised as Ash suddenly got off the chair, looking determined. The confused electric mouse Pokemon followed him as he hurried toward his bedroom, wondering what Ash could possibly be up to now. Pikachu was startled to see Ash picking up his bag and rummaging into it, before pulling out the GS Ball. "Pikachu, pika?" he exclaimed in alarm.

"Don't worry, Pikachu. You trust me, right?" Ash dropped the bag and looked seriously at him as he held the GS Ball. "Then just let me do this. I've got to do it, even if everyone else wouldn't agree. I don't want to keep waiting, I want to do something right now. Mom is waiting for me to save her."

"Pikapi..." Pikachu ran over and scampered up to his shoulder, staring at the GS Ball doubtfully. Obviously, Ash wasn't possessed right now, but what could he possibly be thinking? The Pokemon inside that contraption was extremely dangerous. His ears twitched and he shrank slightly as Ash called for Justice to come out and a white light burst from the GS Ball.

Justice appeared, looking satisfied. "Very good," it said, inclining its head. "So you listened to me after all. All I have to do is sense where it is and we can be there in a matter of seconds."

"Just hurry up and do it. No funny stuff," Ash said, clutching the GS Ball tightly. "I won't let you do anything bad."

"Pika..." Pikachu shivered as he watched Justice hover in the air. He had a bad feeling about this. That Pokemon was obviously up to something, but Ash didn't seem to be worried. If he really thought he was doing the right thing, Pikachu wasn't going to argue. He wanted Delia back, safe and sound, just as much as his trainer did and understood Ash's feelings.

"Somewhere in Viridan City..." Justice opened its eyes. "I see a lot of uniformed people, with red Rs on their uniforms. A man that I believe is their boss, he is there too. This must surely be where this Team Rocket resides."

"Viridian City, huh? That's not too far from here." Ash clenched a fist, raising it. "Alright then, you take me there right now! I'm going to find out just what it is that they want from me."

"Just as I thought," Justice said smugly. "Your determination is impressive. Don't be afraid to unleash your fury and show them just how you feel about what they have done. I like it." It whispered the last part as it floated closer and glowed with a bright purple light. Ash and Pikachu shielded their eyes as the light encompassed them. For a brief second, Ash hoped they really were going to Viridian City and Justice wasn't about to drop them in some bottomless pit.

The room faded out of sight and all they saw was a swirling purple void surrounding them. When the void disappeared, they were all outside. Ash looked up to see an ominous looking building surrounded by a tall iron fence. A large gate barred him from entering. People clad in the familiar Team Rocket uniform were wandering in the open around the building, possibly keeping guard.

"So this is Team Rocket's headquarters?" Ash asked angrily, running up to the gate and grabbing the iron bars. "Mom is somewhere in there. Those bastards..." He shook the gate, but it refused to give way. "It's locked."

"Let me handle this," Justice said. Ash stepped back, just as Justice blasted the gates apart with its power. The Rocket grunts nearby turned in surprise at the sound of the explosion, stunned to see the gates lying in pieces over the ground.

"Pi pika!" Pikachu exclaimed in warning as Ash ran forward, seeming to not care that he was going headlong into danger. Pikachu wanted him to be careful, but it seemed Ash had lost his head. "Pikapi!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash came to a stop, glaring ahead at the grunts who advanced on him threateningly. "You wanted to deal with me? Well, I'm here so you tell me whatever it is right now."

"Who the hell are you, you brat?" One of the grunts sneered distastefully. "The nerve of you. You think you can just come up here and meddle with Team Rocket?"

"Just what is that?" Another grunt stared at Justice, who was hovering over Ash's head.

"You'd better hurry up and tell us why you're here before we teach you a lesson," the first grunt who had spoken threatened, his hand straying to his belt where a baton was strapped to it.

"Chu." Pikachu jumped to the ground, cheeks sparking in warning as he noticed the grunt's motion. He would not let anyone harm Ash so long as he was capable of using his own attacks.

Ash didn't think it was a good idea to tell them who he was, but how else was he supposed to explain why he was here? Some people in Team Rocket already knew his name, where he lived and the fact he had caught such a unique and powerful Pokemon, hence he had attacted their unwanted attention. "I am Ash Ketchum and I am here because you monsters kidnapped my mom! This Pokemon here is extremely powerful, so if you don't let me speak to your leader, then..." He broke off, letting the unspoken threat hang in the air.

"That Pokemon doesn't look like anything we've ever seen before. The kid might be telling the truth," the second grunt said uncertainly. "Someone go and tell the boss about this." A couple of grunts quickly ran off, heading into the building.

"Are you suggesting you would actually make use of my power?" Justice asked in Ash's mind, sounding rather pleased. Of course it wanted him to use its power. Ash didn't realise, but that would strengthen its hold over his mind.

'If I have to,' Ash thought resolutely. 'I have no idea how strong Team Rocket's Pokemon are and my own might not be able to hold out long enough against them. Even if I don't agree with what you do, you are the most powerful Pokemon ever and you're helping me.'

"You better not try anything funny, boy," the first grunt cautioned, eyes narrowing beneath the brim of his black cap. "I guess the boss wants your Pokemon, huh? If you know what's good for you, you will just hand it over."

Ash wanted to make a retort, but he sensed he was in enough trouble after having their gate destroyed and just storming up to their base, so he restrained himself from speaking and instead clenched his fists tightly, trying to contain his mounting fury. Just who did these people think they were? If he could, he would just take them all out right there on the spot and not stop until he'd even totaled their base.

Soon enough, a tall man in an orange suit came walking out of the building, flanked by several Team Rocket agents. A blonde woman was at his side. Ash guessed the man in the suit had to be the leader of Team Rocket. As he stared at the woman, he realised that he recognised her. That same woman had been there at Purity Lake. Ash watched the man guardedly, thinking he also seemed vaguely familiar.

"Boss," one of the grunts said, turning to face him. "Do you know who this kid is? He came right up to us with some big talk and demanding to see you."

"I know," Giovanni said smoothly, stopping in his tracks and placing his hands on his hips. He stared down at Ash, who met his gaze in defiance. "Well, Ash Ketchum, I expected you to come to me sooner or later. Come to rescue your mother, have you?"

The voice was even more familiar than the person. It was the voice of that person who had sat in that hovering craft over the ship, demanding Mewtwo be brought to him. Ash remembered seeing him for a second before taking Mewtwo away, until Brock and Misty had sent out their Pokemon and Onix had obscured his view. Rather than trying to get a better look at the troop of Rockets who had arrived out of nowhere, Ash had taken Mewtwo away to help him instead.

"You! You are the leader of Team Rocket, huh?" Ash asked furiously. "You better not have done anything to my mom, you jerk!"

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu added, eyes narrowing slightly as he glared up at Giovanni.

"That is correct. I am in fact Team Rocket's leader, and not only that, but the former leader of the Viridian City gym. Not a lot of people would have guessed that they were one and the same person." Giovanni smiled slightly.

"You?" Ash exclaimed in disbelief. How could that man possibly have been a Gym Leader as well? He thought back to the time he was at Viridian City Gym, fighting Jessie and James for the Earth Badge. Now that he thought about it, it made sense. They had simply been filling in for their boss and he had never once suspected it.

"My name is Giovanni." Giovanni watched him intently, but Ash continued to stare haughtily at him, no surprise registering on his face. "Hmm. I take it that your mother never mentioned my name to you."

"Why would she?" Ash shook his head, not wanting to get distracted. "You know what, I don't feel like hanging around here and chatting. Tell me what it is you want already! If it's the Pokemon you're after, then-"

Giovanni held up a hand, stemming the flow of words coming from Ash's mouth. "Aren't you curious to know, boy? Why would she ever mention my name? I can tell you the answer to that."

Ash gritted his teeth in frustration. He was getting tired of beating around the bush like this. Couldn't Giovanni just give him the conditions and let his mother go? That was the whole reason why he had come here after all. "Fine, just tell me then."

Giovanni's smile widened and he closed his eyes, anticipating the reaction he would get when he told the boy the truth. Ash would not see this coming. "I knew your mother a long time ago."

Ash stared blankly at him, wondering where this could possibly be leading. So what if his mother had known him? That wouldn't mean something, like... no, of course not. His mother would never have been in Team Rocket. They were cruel people and she would never get involved with the likes of them, not even when she was young.

"It was before I was the leader of Team Rocket, when my mother was still running the business. I met your mother while travelling, in Pallet Town, and we fell in love. That's right, we had a relationship." Giovanni paused, wondering if the boy would catch on fast enough.

"I bet you didn't tell her your mom was the leader of an evil syndicate, did you?" Ash accused. He was only slightly bothered by the thought of her mother having feelings for this man, because he detested him. However, Ash could understand if her mother had met a man and had feelings for him, not knowing his background, so he wasn't going to get mad about it.

"Of course not." Giovanni exhaled slightly. It seemed that Ash hadn't figured it out, so he would have to tell him straight out. "It happened fourteen years ago, us meeting and falling in love. Less than a year later, she was pregnant. At the time you were born, however, I came to inherit Team Rocket and had to leave."

"What?" Ash said faintly, his voice sounding distant as he spoke. His head throbbed and for a second, he thought he might pass out again, but mercifully he didn't this time. "You can't be saying that..." His body began to tremble violently.

"Yes, Ash, that is what I am saying. You are most certainly my son," Giovanni replied, pausing as he allowed the news to sink in. Of course it would be a terrible shock to this boy who obviously hated Team Rocket and what they did.

"No... it can't be..." Ash took a step back, shaking his head. Fury exploded inside his body as he vehemently tried to deny the truth. This man was just trying to mess with his head, wasn't he? "You're lying! It's a lie!" He clutched his head, the throbbing growing even more intense. "You're not my father!"

"Aw, the poor baby," Domino said snidely, a smirk pulling at her lips. "He can't stand the idea of his Daddy being a very bad man."

"Denying it isn't going to change the truth, Ash," Giovanni spoke, feeling no sympathy for the way Ash was reacting. "I am very much your father, whether you like it or not."

"Stop it!" Ash screamed. "Justice..." He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with the fury that had completely taken him over. It was what the Pokemon had wanted after all and now it had Ash right where it wanted him. Justice smiled as its name was spoken. "Get them! Make them suffer for this!"

"If that's what you want," Justice said softly, eyes glowing red as it rose higher in the air and stared at the grunts, anticipating what it would do next. "Then I'll take pleasure in killing them."

"Pikapi?" Pikachu looked up at Ash, who was staring ahead with an unfocused stare, the fury clear in his expression. Something about him had changed. He had been quite mad before, but certainly not this angry. Why was he telling Justice to attack?

Justice seized two grunts with its psychic power, crushing them with impressive force. They screamed in agony as their bodies were squeezed. They soon collapsed into widening crimson pools, the life extinguished from their bodies.

"What is this?" Giovanni exclaimed, stunned. He had certainly not expected something like this to happen. "What do you think you are doing, boy?"

Justice chuckled softly, lifting another grunt into the air with its power. Sharp, razor edged leaves flew from its body, slicing through the helpless grunt. He fell to the ground, landing by his fallen comrades.

"Boss, I think he's gone crazy!" Domino hissed, panic surging through her body. Maybe she shouldn't have shown him that video after all, but then someone else would have, or he might have seen a repeat and ended up pursuing the Pokemon anyway. "We have to get out of here before we get killed!"

"Keep going, Justice," Ash said in a flat, tight voice that certainly did not sound like himself. He had completely lost his senses, his emotions manipulated entirely by the Pokemon who had a hold on him. "Make them suffer."

Justice raised its arms, a giant, flaming rock appearing above its head. It sent the rock flying, crashing into four Rocket grunts who had the misfortune to be standing in the way. Their screams were quickly cut off as they were smashed into the ground, the resulting explosion diminishing their chances of survival.

"Pika..." Pikachu's eyes welled up with horrified tears. How could Ash be telling Justice to do that? No, it wasn't Ash doing this, he realised. Justice had to be doing something to him. It was making his fury ten times worse and using it to its advantage. Pikachu ran up Ash's body to his shoulder. "Pikapi!" he cried out, trying to bring Ash back to his senses.

"I don't understand," Giovanni muttered as he and Domino hurriedly backed away. "Why would he have the nerve to attack us like this, if he wants his mother back safe and sound? He caught that Pokemon so it wouldn't hurt other people!"

"Filthy humans... should die..." Ash murmured, still not realising he was completely under Justice's control.

"Pika!" Pikachu wailed, shaking his head. He drew in a sharp breath and cried out as loud as he possibly could. "PIKAPI!"

It felt as if a thick haze was clouding his mind. He had almost forgotten everything, completely lost in his shock and fury. Then Pikachu's voice broke though the fog, jolting Ash back to his senses. He gasped, suddenly seeing clearly what was going on in front of him. Justice was not just attacking, but killing the Rocket grunts, and Ash had the sick feeling that he had actually told Justice to do it.

"No!" Ash burst out, horrified at the sight in front of him. There was blood everywhere and dead grunts that he had just been responsible for. How could he have let Justice do that? Even if they were Team Rocket members, they were human and didn't deserve such horrifying deaths in cold blood. "Justice, no! Stop killing them! Get back here right now!"

"Damn. So you came back to your senses. I was having fun too," Justice growled, drawing back on Ash's orders. "But you told me to do it. I wasn't doing it of my own volition."

"Pi! Pikachu pikapi chu pika!" Pikachu yelled angrily. He knew perfectly well what Justice had been doing. Of course it was the Pokemon's fault.

"All I did was take advantage of his emotions." Justice chuckled. "He lost himself to my power quite easily there."

Giovanni sensed that the carnage was over and walked back to his position, his face dark with anger. "What was all that about? Why did you just have that Pokemon kill my grunts? I don't understand, boy, it didn't seem like you were the kind of person to do such a thing."

"I'm not!" Ash cried out, his eyes welling up. He hung his head, the brim of his cap shadowing his eyes. "The Pokemon... it made me... why would I go and attack your grunts like that if I wanted Mom back safe? I... I told it to... didn't I?" A tear slipped down his cheek. "You can't be my father. Please, tell me you were just lying."

"Of course I was not lying. Why would I make something like that up?" Giovanni looked up at the Pokemon with interest. "Not that I liked it slaughtering my employees... oh, yes, Domino, go and send out orders to have the bodies removed. We can't have them lying around the yard."

"Yes, boss..." Domino looked like she was going to be sick. She turned and hurried away, stifling the urge to throw up.

"As I was saying, it is indeed powerful and of course, I want it," Giovanni said, gazing up at Justice. The fact that Justice had just slaughtered some of his agents and enjoyed it did not seem to bother him. "It's one of a kind, isn't it? I absolutely must have it."

"You want it?" Ash yelled in disbelief. "Did you not see me going crazy and telling it to go kill people? It's too dangerous and you would just use it for evil. But... if that's what I have to do to get Mom back, why don't you just take it then? I'm sick of having it already!" He shook with disgust and self-loathing, tears splashing to the ground. How could he have done that? What if it had been his own friends he ordered Justice to kill?

"That's not all." Giovanni crossed his arms, regarding Ash with a solemn gaze. "I'm getting on in my years, I have to admit. It's time I found a heir and who better than my own son? If you join Team Rocket..."

"What?" Ash exclaimed. "Like I would ever join you! Are you insane?"

"You can keep the Pokemon and not have to hand it over to me," Giovanni continued. "I would certainly let your mother go free if you joined. Besides, don't you think you might be a liability out there around other people?"

"A liability?" Ash repeated, clenching his fists. Though he had been trying not to think about it, maybe he actually was one. Still, the thought of actually join Team Rocket? He would never do something like that. "I don't care if you are my father. I'm not ever getting involved in something like this!"

"Why don't you think about it for a while?" Giovanni asked. "The offer will remain open for as long as you need, but we'll be keeping your mother for that time. Or, you could just hand over the Pokemon and relinquish control of it completely. You would have no idea what we were doing with it. Think about it. Now, I have work to do, so I will take my leave." He glanced at his agents. "Let him leave safely."

"No..." Ash whispered, shaking his head in dismay. "You've got to be kidding me... this can't be real..." He turned his back on the building, drawing in a sharp breath. "Why is the leader of Team Rocket my father?" he asked, his voice rising.

"Pika. Pikachu," Pikachu said comfortingly, rubbing his cheek against Ash's. He could hardly believe it either. That terrible man, related to him? It was simply unbelieveable. "Pikachu pi. Pika."

"Let's go back, Pikachu." Ash looked up at Justice, still hovering in the air. "Take me back home now." It depressed him that he was going back like this, having achieved almost nothing, but he really had no choice.

Justice wished very much that it had the opportunity for slaughter and further destruction, but it knew he wasn't going to slip under its control so easily right now, after what had just happened. It used its teleportation power once more, returning itself along with Ash and Pikachu to Ash's bedroom back in Pallet Town.

"How could you do that, Justice?" Ash asked, once they were back. He looked angrily up at the Pokemon. "Even if they were Team Rocket members, they were still humans. They must have had families, friends... why... I told you not to do anything funny..." He hung his head, looking glumly at the floor. "I lost my own mind there. What are you doing to me?"

"What am I doing to you? Surely you must be able to figure it out now," Justice said smugly. "Your mind is pretty easy to take over sometimes, especially when your emotions are running high. One day, you will end up giving in completely. Fighting it is useless. You cannot win."

"Ugh." Ash pulled the GS Ball out of his pocket and recalled Justice. He slammed it down on the dresser and stormed out of the room, Pikachu hurrying behind him. He didn't want to deal with Justice's taunting right now. There were more important things to do at the moment.

Ash went downstairs, heading to the door that led into the basement. There were tons of boxes down there with stuff in them and he was sure he would find whatever he needed to down there. He stepped in, flicking on the light, and walked down the steps. It didn't take long to find the box he was looking for, since they were all labeled according to their contents, and he rummaged through the papers stacked inside. Eventually, he was able to find it.

It was his birth certificate, which he had never seen before. Ash carefully read it, sinking into a sitting position, and staring in dismay at the piece of paper which had just confirmed his worst fears. Giovanni had not been lying after all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Sadly, Ash's trauma isn't over. But this is the last time he gets really traumatised. There are some freaky scenes abound, so be prepared for anything.

* * *

"I'm back," Brock announced as he stepped through the front door, clutching a carrier bag full of food. He walked over to the table, placing the bag down, then looked around the room as he realised that he was alone. Ash certainly wasn't in the same place he had been before. "Hmm, I wonder where Ash has got to," he muttered, looking around until he found the basement door partly open. "Ash? Are you there?"

Ash was still sitting on the floor, staring dumbfounded at a piece of paper in his hands. He didn't look up even as Brock came down the stairs and approached him. "Hey," Ash muttered, unable to tear his eyes away from the writing on the paper.

"What's happened? Did Team Rocket make that call?" Brock glanced at the paper that Ash was holding, only able to make out the large text that identified it as a birth certificate from where he was standing. "Is that your birth certificate?"

"Yeah. I've never seen it before, so this was a surprise," Ash said flatly, standing up and holding out the paper for Brock to see more closely. "Mom often talked to me about my real father, but she never told me who he really was. I never even knew his name until now."

Brock was about to ask why Ash had been down here looking for his birth certificate in the first place, but judging by his expression, it didn't seem like a good idea after all. He glanced at the paper, reading the names written down. Apparently, Ash's mother had been married to some man named Giovanni Razzo at some point, but the name didn't mean anything to him. "So, this man is your real father?"

"Yeah." Ash sighed and put the paper back in the box. "He left when I was still a baby. My mom got remarried to another man and I took my last name from him. He died while I was still pretty young though."

"Oh." Brock didn't know what to say to that. Ash had lacked a father figure for most of his years growing up and it appeared he was stunned to have found out who his real father is. "So, do you know who this Giovanni is then?"

"Only the leader of Team Rocket," Ash spat out, his eyes burning as he thought about that confrontation. How could he be the son of the leader of an evil syndicate? It just wasn't right. Brock turned, looking astonished as Ash ran up the steps. Pikachu scampered after him, calling out.

"Ash!" Brock hurried after him, following him to the seating area where he had flung himself down upon the sofa and was staring at the floor with a brooding expression. He sat next to him, looking troubled. "You mean that Giovanni person is actually Team Rocket's leader? How did you find that out?"

"He told me himself," Ash said quietly, clenching a fist in frustration. He didn't want to admit he was the son of that person, let alone believe it, but that birth certificate was the proof Giovanni was his father. "I just can't believe it... that bastard who runs Team Rocket is... why?"

Brock glanced at the phone, putting two and two together. "You mean that he called you up himself on behalf of Team Rocket and told you that over the phone?" How could someone be so insensitive? He couldn't believe it himself. "Then, did he tell you what to do to get your mom freed?"

Ash looked up at him, a flicker of guilt passing over his face. It wasn't good to lie, but he was sure he would get into trouble for admitting to letting that Pokemon out of the GS Ball on purpose and having it escort him straight to Team Rocket's HQ. He certainly wasn't going to tell anyone about going crazy either. "Yeah, that's what happened. The leader of Team Rocket phoned me, told me he was my father, and he wants me to give him the Pokemon in exchange for Mom."

"Pika..." Pikachu said quietly, a slightly disapproving expression on his face. He didn't think it was right for Ash to hide everything from them, but what could he possibly do? They wouldn't understand him even if he tried to tell them.

"I can't believe he would just tell you in such an impersonal manner. That is just downright cruel," Brock said, shaking his head in disgust. "But then again, he did abandon you and your mother while you were still a baby. He obviously isn't nice at all."

"Yeah. I wish that he wasn't my father, but wishing it isn't going to change anything," Ash said bitterly. "Sometimes I would wonder just who my real father was and now I wish that I had never found out in the first place. Why did he have to tell me he was my father?"

"It's obvious that he deliberately did that to upset you. But, Ash, you shouldn't let it get to you. Who your father is has no bearing on who you are. You are a good person and being related to the leader of Team Rocket won't change that," Brock said. "So your father wasn't who you expected him to be. Being upset about it won't do any good."

"I know that." Ash fell silent, thinking about the strange offer Giovanni had made to him. Did the leader of Team Rocket really think that he would ever accept and join Team Rocket? Ash would never think of doing such a thing, but perhaps after seeing him coldly order his Pokemon to slaughter Giovanni's employees, Giovanni had thought otherwise. He really was slipping further under Justice's control. How much longer would he be able to remain himself?

"I'm going to make some lunch now," Brock said, getting up from the sofa. "It's going to be rice balls and miso soup today."

"Sounds good." Ash stood as well. "I'm just going to go for a quick walk. I need to clear my head." He turned and hurried out of the house, Pikachu following him as he left.

Brock walked over to the kitchen area, staring at the open front door, then shook his head in dismay. So Ash had ended up suffering yet another blow. It was ludicrous to think the leader of Team Rocket himself was Ash's father, but that birth certificate had confirmed it. He couldn't possibly begin to imagine how Ash must be feeling after learning about his parentage. Brock's own father disappointed him at times with his behaviour, but even a father like Flint was better than the leader of an evil gang.

The Pokemon breeder approached the table and rummaged through the bag until he had found the ingredients he needed and quickly got to work on preparing lunch. The miso soup was soon ready and then he got to work on making the rice balls. Halfway through the preparations, the phone started ringing. Brock hurried over to the phone and pushed the answer button.

Misty's face appeared on the video screen. She smiled in relief as she saw Brock on her own video screen. "Oh, hey, Brock. So you all came back safely from Valencia Island then? Thank goodness for that."

"Yeah. I don't suppose you've seen the news recently, then?" Brock asked, getting a confused look from Misty in response. "Guess not. I'll try to keep the story short. When we got to the lab, we snooped around that basement where the experiment was and Professor Ivy caught us looking. She even tried using a gun to force Ash to hand over the GS Ball."

Misty let out a quiet gasp of shock, her eyes widening. "Oh, poor Ash. You are all okay, aren't you? Wait, why did she try to force him into handing over the GS Ball? Isn't that why you all went over?"

"Everyone's fine," Brock answered quickly. Well, Ash was far from fine mentally, but he was at least physically sound. "The GS Ball was actually connected to that thing Professor Ivy was making. It was supposed to control it so that she could do whatever she liked. Ash didn't want to hand it over after hearing that."

"I see..." Misty looked troubled. "But why was she doing such a thing? Killing all those poor Pokemon... what was it for? It was called the Ultimate Pokemon, right? What's so ultimate about it?"

"It's insanely powerful and is supposed to be resistant to every type, as well as able to use them all. It's a freak that defies all the normal rules of Pokemon," Brock said grimly. "Team Rocket helped us out a little too. The Pokemon hatched from the tube and it said things about how angry it was, killed Professor Ivy on the spot then ran for it."

"Oh..." Misty pressed her lips together, looking rather fearful. "It does sound scary. So it's got a huge grudge because of what happened to the Pokemon used to make it?" Brock nodded. "But it got its revenge by killing Professor Ivy, so... what happened?"

"That wasn't enough for it. It hates humans and wants them all dead. It proceeded to attack the nearby village and it was too powerful for us to fight," Brock told her. "So that's when Ash ended up catching it inside the GS Ball."

"He actually caught it?" Misty's voice was barely more than a squeak at this point. "He really can be reckless, huh? But that's good, right? It can't go and destroy stuff anymore if he caught it."

"I wish it was over and we no longer had anything to worry about." Brock sighed. "However, it seems like the GS Ball isn't just any ordinary Pokeball. In fact, the Pokemon is getting to him. All Ash said at first was that it was talking to him in his mind, even from inside the GS Ball." While talking to Misty, he was unaware of Ash coming back into the house and didn't see him standing nearby, listening to every word he said.

"Wait, what? That Pokemon wants to kill humans and... it's doing weird stuff to him?" Misty frowned. "I don't get it. So it's just talking to him?"

"Just being trapped in the GS Ball isn't enough to stop it." Brock paused, looking pained. "In fact, while we were on the ship coming back, Ash got knocked unconscious. In the time he was unconscious, the Pokemon was able to take over his body and use him to let it out of the GS Ball. It ended up summoning Kyogre to try and destroy the boat."

"That can't be..." Misty looked horrified. "Why did Ash have to go and catch such a dangerous Pokemon?"

"He didn't have much choice at the time. Ash wanted to stop it from destroying everything, but it wasn't enough to really stop that Pokemon. It seems to be taking over his mind... and if it doesn't stop and Ash can't resist it, then he may even end up becoming a threat himself," Brock said, looking even more upset as he spoke.

Ash stepped back, stung by Brock's words. It was one thing to be hurt by the fact that May had actually moved his bag so that he couldn't have got to it under the Pokemon's control, but to hear one of his close friends calling him a possible threat, it hurt even more. He turned and ran back the way he had come, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Ash?" May stepped back, startled as he suddenly ran out the front door. Pikachu ran after him, but stopped once he came to the doorstep. He had heard Brock too and knew Ash was hurting a lot after hearing those words. Perhaps Ash needed to be alone right now. "What's the matter with him?"

"That's ridiculous!" Misty had exclaimed in response to Brock's statement. "There's no way that Ash could possibly be a threat!"

"You weren't on that ship, Misty. You didn't see Kyogre coming to try and drown us all," Brock said flatly. "If the Pokemon can so easily control Ash, then it's dangerous for everyone. I wish that was all Ash had to worry about, but Team Rocket has gone and kidnapped Mrs. Ketchum too, to try and get the Pokemon in exchange."

"No... that's terrible." Misty clenched a fist. "I can't believe all this is happening. I'm coming back to Pallet Town. My sisters can try to run the Pokemon gym properly for once. This is an emergency!"

"Oh, Misty, you're coming over?" May had come into the lounge by now and seen her on the monitor. "I think that's a good idea. Ash is really depressed right now and having all his friends over would really help him."

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu jumped up onto the table and waved at the screen happily.

"Pikachu?" Brock looked at him in confusion. "I thought you went after Ash?" Pikachu just turned and gave him an annoyed look.

"Hey, Pikachu." Misty waved at the electric mouse Pokemon. "I'll come over as soon as I can. I'll just have to talk to my sisters. See you soon." With that, she hang up and the video screen went blank.

"I saw Ash running out the door just now." May frowned. "He looked kind of upset about something. What happened?"

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu pointed at the phone, a disapproving frown on his face.

"Oh, great. He must have come back and overheard me talking to Misty," Brock sighed, hanging his head. "I should have been more careful about what I was saying. Oh yes, speaking of Ash, he got that call from Team Rocket when we were out."

"He did? What did they say?" May asked anxiously.

"Apparently, the leader of Team Rocket himself thought it a good idea to announce over the phone he was Ash's biological father and then demanded the Pokemon in exchange for releasing Mrs. Ketchum," Brock said sourly. "I've seen the birth certificate too. He really is a horrible man."

"Oh, great." May sighed. She was shocked at the thought of the leader of Team Rocket having such a connection to Ash, but chose not to dwell on that. "So, Ash had no idea who his real father was before, then?" She got a headshake in response. "Fantastic. What did you go and say to Misty that Ash might have heard?"

"I told her about what happened on the ship and how there was a risk of Ash... you know, losing himself to the Pokemon," Brock admitted. "It's not exactly the kind of thing he needs to hear right now. Anyway, I'd better get back to preparing lunch now. Those rice balls won't make themselves." He walked over to the kitchen, leaving May and Pikachu alone.

"Poor Ash." May sighed and looked at Pikachu. "Things really aren't easy for him right now." Pikachu nodded. "I hope he's going to be alright. Geez, why did Brock have to go and mouth off like that? Ash is hurting enough already."

"Pi." Pikachu hung his head, looking worried. He was the only one to have seen Ash actually lose himself there at Team Rocket's HQ and knew that Ash was scared it could happen again. Hearing Brock voice his concerns out loud had definitely not helped his confidence.

Ash hadn't gone far after running out of the house. He had actually just gone round the back, to a large tree that sat in the garden that he had played on in his childhood days. He was sitting in the hollow of the tree, arms wrapped tightly around his legs and burying his face in his knees. Tears streamed down his cheeks while his entire body trembled.

The very thought of Justice taking over his mind, as it had done at Team Rocket's base, and even driving him to take his friends lives as it had tried to do while he was unconscious, it was his worst fear right now. The last thing he wanted was to have his own friends doubting his ability to control himself and prevent Justice from taking over his mind completely. First it was the GS Ball being taken out of reach, then it was Brock calling him a potential threat while talking to Misty.

Ash could understand why they were afraid of him, but he didn't want them to be. He wanted to be treated normally, not like he was about to snap at any second and have Justice destroy anything. He could just imagine what would happen if he ever told Brock and May the truth about his confrontation with Team Rocket and what he had done. They would be afraid of being his next victims.

"So, even your very own friends admit you are a threat?" Justice taunted inside of Ash's mind. "It's about time you woke up and faced the truth. Soon, you will no longer be yourself and I will have complete control. Then you really will be dangerous to everyone around you."

Everything went dark as Ash was plunged into another one of the Pokemon's illusions. He was standing and looking around wildly, trying to see something through the terrifying darkness that enveloped him. It was impossible to see anything, but Ash broke into a run anyway, not caring if he ended up tripping and falling. His breath came out sharply in ragged gasps of terror as he ran, his legs pumping as fast as they could.

Suddenly, he collided with something large on the ground. Ash fell to his knees, his hands groping at something warm. To his surprise, his hands came away feeling wet and sticky. It was still impossible to see anything, so he reached out and tentatively touched whatever it was that had tripped him up, trying to identify it. A chill ran down his spine as he realised it was actually a person.

Light flooded the area, illuminating everything around him. Ash gasped in shock as he found himself looking down at May lying crumpled across the floor, blood trickling from her chest and creating a scarlet pool around her body. Her eyes flickered toward him and her lips moved faintly as she whispered.

"Ash..." May murmured weakly, her body trembling as she struggled to cling to life for just a moment longer. "Why did you..." Her mouth stopped moving and her eyes became unfocused. One last shuddering gasp forced itself from her throat and then she was completely still.

"May?" Ash stared at her with wide, horrified eyes. She couldn't possibly be dead. No, it couldn't be possible. He hadn't killed her, had he? "May, no! May!" Tears sprang from his eyes as he shook her, knowing that it was futile to even try. She had just died right in front of him and somehow, he was responsible for it. The look in her eyes had said all he needed to know.

It occurred to him that May might not have been the only victim. He needed to check on everyone else. Ash weakly got to his feet, praying that they would be safe somehow, but a part of him doubted it. He turned and ran, realising that he was inside his own house on the upstairs landing. Ash hurried down the stairs and stopped as he reached the bottom, letting out a cry of horror.

Brock was lying in a sprawled out position on the floor, a large butcher's knife embedded in his back. Ash couldn't see his face, but he didn't need to. It was clear that Brock was dead too, just like May, killed by his own hands. Instead of running to his side, Ash turned away and fled the house, tears coursing along his cheeks. His chest heaved as he began sobbing. How could he possibly have murdered them?

In what only seemed like a few seconds, he was running up the steps to Professor Oak's laboratory. The front door was wide open, inviting him to come in. Ash took a deep breath and stepped inside, afraid of what he might be about to see. Perhaps Professor Oak and Tracey would be dead as well. Could they have survived what Brock and May had not?

Ash found Professor Oak first, lying sprawled across his desk at the computer. The back of his head had been caved in and he looked straight ahead with an expression of sheer incredulity that was frozen on his face forever. Ash backed straight out of the room, screaming. He couldn't take much of this anymore. It was driving him crazy with terror and grief, but despite the shock, he needed to find Tracey. There had to be someone alive, he desperately prayed. He couldn't possibly have killed everyone, could he?

Tracey was found outside in the preserve. Strangely, the entire preserve was empty without a single Pokemon to be seen anywhere, but that wasn't the most troubling thing. Instead, it was Tracey floating face down in the pond where the Water Pokemon lived. Ash shakily approached the pond, knowing that there was no way Tracey was alive. His skin was ghostly white against the dark depths of the pond.

"Everyone..." Ash whimpered, his body shaking violently with grief. He had taken their lives with his own hands. "No... it can't be... I can't have done it..." But even as he spoke, he knew it was hopeless. It really was him who had done it.

The horrified young trainer turned around, his eyes falling upon Pikachu, standing behind him. So, Pikachu was alive. He hadn't taken Pikachu's life, because Pikachu was not a human being but a Pokemon, therefore he was safe from the vengeful wrath of Justice who would not bring harm to any of its own kind.

"Pikachu! Thank goodness!" Ash exclaimed in joyful relief, running toward him. He came to a sudden stop as Pikachu's cheeks began to spark, realising that the electric mouse's eyes were narrowed in fury. "Pikachu, what are you doing?"

"Pikapi! Pikachu pipika chu pikachu pi!" Pikachu cried out, his voice sounding harsh and angry. The electricity from his cheeks began to intensify.

Ash's spirits sank. Pikachu was angry at him because he had just killed Brock, May, Tracey and Professor Oak, wasn't he? "No, Pikachu!" Ash stepped closer, stunned by how hatefully Pikachu was looking at him. "You don't understand... I never wanted them dead!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu gritted his teeth and leaped into the air, flashing with electricity. A Thunderbolt arced through the air, striking Ash dead on. He screamed as the electricity coursed through his body.

At that moment, the illusion disappeared and Ash snapped out of the trance, looking around in confusion as he found himself back by the tree. He had managed to forgot entirely that it was Justice playing games with him and thought it was real. Ash put a hand over his chest, where his heart was hammering away rapidly.

"It may have not been real, but it could become reality," Justice reminded him. "Do you want that to happen, Ash, to end up slaughtering the people close to you?"

"No!" Ash shook his head vehemently, bile rising in his throat. That illusion had been so realistic that he almost felt like being violently sick. "Of course I don't want that to happen! I don't want to be responsible for the deaths of my friends."

"So, what will you do? It would be much safer to get as far away from them as possible, wouldn't it? Because I will not spare anyone when I finally get to take over your mind completely," Justice said. "All humans must die because they are traitors."

"No... you're wrong!" Ash staggered to his feet. "I won't let you take over my mind either... I won't..."

"But you aren't sure you'll be able to prevent me from doing so, are you?" Justice asked. "You might fall sooner than you think. Your precious friends could be dead this time tomorrow, thanks to you. Or, you could just run away, and they would be safe for a while longer. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Run away?" Ash muttered, turning and walking back to the front of the house. Lunch would probably be ready now, he figured. Was it a good idea to just run away? He had no idea how much longer he would remain himself and his friends being murdered was the very last thing he wanted to happen.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu ran up as Ash stepped into the house. He happily jumped into Ash's arms. Ash smiled and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Pikachu. Were you worried about me?" Ash asked as he walked over to the table with Pikachu. May was sitting in one of the chairs, raising a bowl of miso soup to her lips, and Brock was just finishing preparing the last of the rice balls. For a second, Ash's mind flashed back to the images of them lying dead and he shuddered. It wasn't a pleasant thing to remember.

"Oh, Ash, you're just in time for lunch. It's about ready now," Brock said. "Help yourself to some miso soup." He thought it better not to ask what Ash had heard him saying on the phone earlier. Ash must have been hurt and reminding him of it wouldn't help matters.

"Great. I'm starving already," Ash said, forcing enthusiasm into his voice as he hurried to the steaming pot of soup. He picked up a bowl and used the ladle to spoon some soup into it, then took his place at the table next to May. Ash picked up the chopsticks available and started on the tofu in the soup.

"Here we go. Delicious rice balls for everybody." Brock placed the rice balls in the center of the table. Pikachu reached out to take one and started munching on it with a content expression.

"Hey, Ash, you won't believe what I found at the preserve while I was over at Professor Oak's lab to see Bulbasaur today." May grinned. "I found a Pokemon egg."

"A Pokemon egg? Really?" Ash looked up, eyes wide in curiosity. "Did it come from one of my Pokemon then?"

"Well, the egg is light blue with green spots, so it seems to be a Bulbasaur egg. Professor Oak isn't sure who it really came from at the moment," May replied. "But I think that our Bulbasaurs must have made it. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, that's pretty cool." Ash smiled, glad that his Bulbasaur and May's were getting on so well. "It's still at Professor Oak's then?"

"Uh huh." May nodded. "Tracey offered to take care of the egg and it will be in good hands at the Pokemon lab. I can't wait until it hatches. It's going to be so exciting!" she exclaimed with a grin. "It will be a cute little baby Bulbasaur..."

"That certainly is good news. I haven't had a Pokemon egg since Happiny, but taking care of an egg and seeing it at the moment it hatches, it's amazing," Brock said, smiling as he remembered that moment he watched Happiny coming from its egg as well as the other times he had seen an egg hatch.

"Yeah, it really is." Ash paused to take a long sip from the bowl of soup. It was nice to have a normal conversation after everything that had been happening and he was almost able to forgot what he'd heard earlier. Brock and May were being normal around him and he liked it. But, still, the fear of what Justice had shown him was there in the back of his mind. He could end up hurting them someday, or worse.

Justice's threats were not to be taken idly. The Pokemon was quite powerful and could easily take over his entire mind sooner or later. It would be too risky to just hope it didn't happen. Ash had to make the decision before it was too late for everyone, before he really could become a threat to his own friends. They didn't deserve to end up like those Rocket grunts, cruelly slaughtered by Justice while he was lost in his own rage.

After lunch, Ash excused himself and went to his room. He didn't feel much like having company when he had an important decision to think about. It was best that he kept his thoughts to himself, especially if he was considering running away by himself. That way, his friends would not be in danger. There was also the matter of his mom being freed in exchange for Justice and that disturbing offer Giovanni had made to him. Giovanni had also said that he might be a liability around other people and Ash knew it was true, which was why he wanted to just run away.

"You want to just disappear, don't you?" Justice whispered in his head. "You want to run away and hide so that you can't hurt your friends. Wouldn't it be difficult though? Your face must be well known by now after all your achievements."

Ash rolled over on the bed, his forehead furrowing in a frown. It certainly would be difficult to hide from the world so that his friends couldn't find him. Many people knew who he was due to his journey as a Pokemon trainer, since he had competed in several championships and even won the Battle Frontier.

"Maybe..." Ash propped himself up on his elbows and stared out of the window thoughtfully. "If I don't want to be found, then I'll have to hide somewhere..." He swallowed heavily, a thought occuring to him. A place where nobody would think of looking for him, perhaps there was such a place after all. "I'm going to have to deal with them anyway," he whispered. "Just running away and avoiding them won't be enough to free Mom."

"Sounds like you have an idea," Justice noted, prying into his thoughts as it tended to do most of the time. "So you have made a decision then?"

Ash just fell back onto the pillow without saying anything. It was a disturbing thought, but what choice did he really have in the end? His mother would be safe, he wouldn't have to worry about what Team Rocket would do with Justice, and it would be a place to hide. In order to protect everyone, he had to disappear, even if he really didn't want to.

There was no point in staying in his room all day, which he knew would just make the others worry about him, so he came back downstairs to spend time with Brock and May, even going over to Professor Oak's lab to see the Bulbasaur egg. Ash tried his best to act as normal as he could and it worked well enough that nobody suspected that he was planning anything. They just thought he was trying his best to cope with everything that was happening, when really he was only putting on a front.

Much later in the afternoon, Ash returned to his room alone, save for Pikachu who walked over to the pile of blankets upon the floor and curled up for a nap. Ash removed his jacket and slung it over the back of a chair before sitting at his desk and locating some writing paper. He then began to write a long letter. When it was done, he folded it up and left it on the desk, placing his Pokeballs next to it.

"Pikachu." Ash walked over and sat next to him, being careful to rouse him from sleep as gently as he could. Pikachu could be known to let off some nasty shocks if he was awoken too suddenly. "Pikachu, wake up," he spoke again, gently rubbing his back.

"Pi?" Pikachu opened his eyes slowly and blinked a few times, looking up at Ash curiously. Ash carefully picked him up and placed him on his lap, smiling. "Pikapi, pikachu?"

"Sorry to wake you up like that, Pikachu. I just wanted to talk to you," Ash said softly, rubbing his head. "We've been together a long time now and I wouldn't want it any other way." His heart lurched, as he thought of what it would be like to be apart from Pikachu, but what choice did he have? He didn't want to bring Pikachu to that place.

"Pika." Pikachu nodded, agreeing with Ash's statement. He hated it when they were ever apart from each other.

"You are my very best friend, Pikachu." Ash took off his hat and placed it upon Pikachu's head, keeping the brim away from his eyes. "Thank you for being my friend." He pulled Pikachu into a hug, his eyes stinging. Leaving Pikachu would surely be the most painful thing he would have to do, but he had to.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu wondered why Ash was suddenly being so sentimental. He did tend to be a little sentimental at times, but this seemed like rather odd timing. Ash placed him down on the blankets and stood up, trying not to let Pikachu see his tears.

"I want to be able to protect everyone," Ash said, walking across the room. Pikachu stared at him questioningly, the hat still hanging on his head. "I can't let anybody get hurt, which is why I have to do this. Please try to understand, Pikachu, this is the hardest thing I may ever have to do, but there's no choice."

"Pika?" Pikachu straightened himself in shock and shook off the hat, blinking in surprise as Ash picked up the GS Ball. What was he up to now? "Pikapi, pikapika?"

"Goodbye, Pikachu." Ash turned his head away, not wishing to see Pikachu's sad face when he realised what was happening. It would only make things harder. "Come out, Justice." The GS Ball opened up, sending out Justice.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu shook his head wildly, his eyes welling up with horrified tears. Ash couldn't possibly be leaving without him, could he? He wouldn't allow that to happen.

"Pikachu, don't," Ash said tightly, sensing that Pikachu might be about to approach him at any given moment. "I have to go by myself. Please, don't come." A tear fell down his cheek and splashed to the floor.

"Pika!" Pikachu shook his head in protest, though he didn't come any closer. How could Ash be thinking about leaving all by himself? "Pikapi... chu!"

"Justice, take me away from here," Ash said quietly, thinking clearly of the location where he wished to go.

Pikachu stared in horror as the purple light of teleportation engulfed Ash, whisking him away in a second. He ran to the spot where Ash had been last standing and looked around in dismay. The tears spilled over his red cheeks as he cried out, his voice shrill with agony. "Pikapi!!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Delia gets to appear again in this chapter. I'm sure people have been wondering what's happening to her during her stay at Team Rocket's place. Giovanni is a cruel person too, regardless of what Meowth might think, but his crazy boss fantasies are still fun.

* * *

"Pikachu, what's the matter?" May came running into Ash's room, having heard Pikachu's loud scream. She saw Pikachu standing in the middle of the room and looked around in confusion, having expected to see Ash as well. "Huh, wasn't Ash in here? I could have sworn he was."

"Pikapi pikachu!" Pikachu cried frantically as May lifted herself up the ladder to peer into the top bunk, finding that Ash definitely was not there. "Pi!"

"He was here, wasn't he?" May looked disturbed as she walked over to Pikachu, wondering what he was trying to tell her. "I don't remember hearing him leave the house either." She noticed Ash's hat on the bed and his jacket hanging over a chair, which struck her as quite strange. May then looked at the desk, where she saw the blank envelope and six Pokeballs sitting next to it. "Eh? This envelope..."

Pikachu watched on in worry as May opened the envelope and pulled out the folded paper within. She unfolded it and started to read, her eyes widening in alarm. It was clear that this was a very recent letter from Ash and the contents were not something she was happy to read.

"Brock!" May yelled, putting the paper on the desk and running out of the room. "Come up here!" He came into the room quickly, wondering what was happening. May wordlessly picked up the paper and handed it over for him to read, which he did out loud.

'Everyone, I'm sorry to leave so suddenly like this, but I know you guys would just try to stop me from going,' the letter read. 'I have to do this so that none of you will get hurt or worse. Justice may end up taking over my mind completely and I don't want to end up doing anything to my friends. I know I could end up becoming a threat... maybe I already am. There's something that I didn't tell the truth about. When I said that the leader of Team Rocket told me he was my father, it wasn't over the phone. I had Justice take me to Team Rocket's headquarters because I didn't want to wait any longer, and that was where he told me. That's when something terrible happened.

I completely lost it. I was so upset and angry about Mom being kidnapped and Giovanni actually being my father, I ended up letting Justice do what he liked and allowed him to go so far as killing several of the Team Rocket grunts. I did nothing to stop him until Pikachu brought me back to my senses. Those people died because of me. I couldn't control myself... and I'm scared it could happen again. What if I hurt my own friends next? I don't want that to ever happen, which is why I chose to leave and take Justice with me.

Don't bother looking for me. I'm doing this so that none of you can get hurt. One day I might not even be myself anymore and that scares me. Goodbye, my friends.'

Brock stopped speaking, lowering the letter in his hand and looking positively dismayed. "I can't believe this."

"Ash..." May's eyes welled up with tears and she clenched her fists. "He seemed okay this afternoon. It was just an act, wasn't it? He didn't want us thinking he would run away... why? How could he just leave us like this without even saying anything and just leaving us a letter? He could have just told us how he felt."

"He can't possibly be planning to deal with this by himself," Brock said, sounding nervous. "If this Pokemon is really taking over his mind, then he needs to have us around to help him. How can Ash possibly think he's capable of coping with it alone?"

"I don't think he believes he can cope, alone or not... that's why he ran away, isn't it?" May shook her head. "We can't just let Ash go off by himself. He might think he's doing the right thing, but he isn't. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded vehemently. He didn't like the idea of Ash being out there all by himself with a crazy Pokemon preying on his mind. They had to find him and knock some sense into his mind.

"Well then, we're going to try and get him back here as soon as we can." Brock folded the paper up again and pushed it into his pocket. "Let's go over to Professor Oak's laboratory. If Ash used that Pokemon to get away, then he's not likely to be anywhere nearby."

"Right." May nodded. She glanced at Ash's Pokeballs, then as an afterthought, picked them up. Perhaps Ash had left them here, intending for them to be taken to Oak's, and who knew when he would be coming back? It wouldn't be right to just leave them in his room as if they were abandoned. "Let's hurry over there. The sooner we try to find Ash, the better."

The two of them hurried from the house, Pikachu riding on May's shoulder as they rushed across Pallet Town to Professor Oak's laboratory. Of course, there was no sign of Ash. It was quite unlikely that he was even in town anymore, but where could he possibly have got to?

Professor Oak and Tracey were quite startled when Brock and May came running into the laboratory with panicked expressions on their faces. The explanation was equally rushed, but they were able to get the gist of things and understood that Ash had somehow just disappeared without a word and left a letter behind. May handed over the Pokeballs to Tracey so that he could let the Pokemon into the preserve, while Brock handed the letter over to Oak.

"This is not good," Oak said grimly as he read the letter a second time, carefully studying each and every word. "That Pokemon is taking further control of his mind and he's just gone and disappeared? How can Ash be so foolish?"

"He's done it to protect us." May looked distraught. "Ash was scared that he would hurt us next and that's why he ran away without saying anything. He must have been really freaked after he lost his mind and had Justice attack those Rocket grunts and even kill them. But... what good does he think running away will do?"

"He even took that Pokemon with him. I don't know what Ash could possibly be thinking right now." Brock shook his head. "I certainly can't tell what's in that head of his anymore. We have to get him back here before something worse happens." He didn't even want to think about what could happen with Ash out there, alone and prey to the Pokemon's mind tricks.

"I'm going to contact Officer Jenny," Professor Oak said, turning and walking into the lounge. "This is a rather serious matter. We have to make sure that Ash is found at all costs. He has no idea what might happen out there or what he could end up doing, especially with that dangerous thing."

"The police can find him, right?" May asked hopefully as she and Brock followed, watching Oak sit down in front of the telephone. "I hope they will be able to get him back here quickly. Ash may not want to be found, but I don't want him to be out there all by himself." She lowered her head, trembling slightly. "Why would he want to be alone at a time like this?"

Brock stifled his urges to approach the video screen and talk to Officer Jenny, as her face appeared. She was sitting in her office in Viridian City, the closest police station to Pallet Town, and looked quite tired. It was getting rather late in the day and she was working on some papers when the phone had rung.

"Viridian City Police Station," Officer Jenny announced, looking at the screen. "Oh, Professor Oak? Has something happened at the laboratory?" she asked, looking concerned. She was aware that there were a lot of Pokemon there and it was quite an appealing location for any Pokemon thieves to attack.

"No, it's nothing like that. The lab is fine and we rarely ever get Pokemon thieves around here anyway. That doesn't mean we let our guard down of course," Professor Oak said hastily. He and Tracey had learned their lesson after the incident with Butch and Cassidy. He wondered if he should mention the kidnapping as he spoke to Jenny, but perhaps Ash was going to deal with it. They had said not to speak to the police, so he had to stick to the matter of Ash, despite his worry for Delia. "Somebody has gone missing."

"Missing?" Jenny exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Well, that's not good. So, who is it? Please explain the details."

"Ash Ketchum." Professor Oak paused, seeing her eyes light up with recognition. "So you know him then?"

"Yes, I've met him a few times and I'm aware of his accomplishments as a trainer," Jenny replied. "He's a very talented Pokemon trainer. So, you're saying he's gone missing? Is he on a journey right now?"

"No, he isn't," Oak answered. "He's just finished his journey in Sinnoh and came home recently. There's been a little bit of trouble and he's just disappeared without saying anything. All he left was a letter."

"So, you say he has gone missing, but in actuality he left of his own will?" Officer Jenny asked. As Professor Oak nodded his head, she let out a sigh. "I see. Now, Ash is about thirteen now, right? He's been travelling for a long time around various regions on his Pokemon journey and he must be able to look after himself. He is legally an adult and is free to leave home anytime he wants."

"Well, yes, that is true, but..." Professor Oak faltered. She didn't realise how serious the situation really was. It was true that Ash was free to leave and go wherever he wished. They had no legal control over him whatsoever. The moment someone turned ten and went on a Pokemon journey, they were treated as an adult and were responsible for their own selves.

"How long has Ash been gone?" Officer Jenny asked, after a long pause.

"Not long at all," Oak admitted. "Less than an hour, I would assume. But, you see, this is a very serious situation. He could be in danger right now. No, he could even end up being one himself if he can't deal with it."

"Look, I'm sorry, but you say he's been gone less than an hour and he is a legal adult who is used to travelling alone," Officer Jenny said. "I can file a missing person report, but only if he has been gone for at least twenty four hours without contacting anyone or even visiting a Pokemon Center. I can tell that you are worried about Ash, but we can't just act on what could be a false alarm without being sure."

"I see. Sorry to bother you then," Professor Oak said glumly. Officer Jenny offered a small wave of apology then cut the call. "Well, that ended up being a useless effort, didn't it? I guess we have no choice but to wait."

"But to wait a whole night and day." May sighed and folded her arms in disappointment. "Ash could be anywhere by this time tomorrow. Where could he possibly be thinking of going, I wonder?"

"There's not a lot we can do right now. It's getting late and I don't see what we could do by ourselves." Brock didn't like the idea of Ash being out there by himself for so long in such danger, but if the police didn't think it worth their time yet, then there wasn't much that could be done at all. "I suppose all we can do right now is go back to Ash's house."

"Pika..." Pikachu's ears drooped sadly. He didn't want to wait so long, but they had no choice. The best they could hope for was Ash changing his mind and coming back, but that seemed to be rather unlikely to happen. They had to find him sooner or later.

* * *

As Brock, May and Pikachu left the laboratory and walked back to Ash's house, he was at that moment still standing in the very spot he had asked Justice to teleport him to. The Pokemon hovered silently in the air as Ash gazed into the distance, his gut churning with nervousness. What he was about to do, it was unthinkable and he couldn't help but be afraid of what would happen to him, but it really seemed he had no choice in the matter.

"You sure aren't in a hurry to get anywhere, are you?" Justice noted, watching Ash stand still as if frozen. How long had he just been standing there and staring now? "Are you really going to do this or not? I thought for a moment that you were serious about it, but maybe you actually don't have the guts for it after all. Shall I help you out a little?"

"Get back in," Ash simply said, holding up the GS Ball. Justice was struck by the beam of red light and disappeared, being pulled into the gold and silver ball. Ash slipped it into his pocket and took a deep breath, looking up at the building. He had to do it, whether he really wanted to or not. Not only did he wish to stay far away from his friends, so that they wouldn't get hurt, but he needed to free his mother. Ash grimly started walking toward the building that loomed overhead, quite aware of the fact that he was trembling. It wasn't just cold, but nerves as well.

As Ash stepped through the wide opening between the fences where the gates had once been, he couldn't help but look toward the spot where those Rocket grunts had been slain. He noticed that there was no trace of them anymore as he stepped closer. Of course, the bodies would have been removed ages ago and the blood had even been cleaned up. The only hint that any destruction had gone on was a cracked hollow in the ground from when Justice had mercilessly crushed two grunts with that giant, blazing rock. Ash tore his gaze away from it, not wishing to remember the moment he had sunk to his lowest point, and looked around cautiously.

There were a few Team Rocket agents standing in front of the building, who immediately gave him hostile warning stares. Some of them appeared to have weapons that he hoped wouldn't be used against him. Ash stared back at them, steeling himself as he walked even closer. A few feet away, he came to a stop and took a deep breath. This was it. There was no turning back from this point now.

"You've got a lot of nerve to come walking in here like that, kid," a grunt said menacingly, eyes narrowing. "Clear off or else we'll have to give you a lesson that you won't be forgetting anytime soon."

"What an irritating boy," a female agent said snidely, not liking the defiant look on Ash's face. "If you haven't got any important business with us, then you had better leave quickly."

"I have come to see Giovanni," Ash spoke in a steady and unwavering voice. "If you won't let me see him, then just tell him Ash Ketchum is here. He will want to talk to me, I can assure you."

"Hold on." Another grunt stepped forward to get a closer look and flinched. Now he knew who this person was. He had been there that morning, watching those unfortunate Team Rocket members getting slaughtered by a crazed Pokemon, but he hadn't recognised Ash at first without the hat or jacket. "Oh yeah, I remember him. He's the one who had his crazy Pokemon kill some of our own earlier today and he's even the boss's son."

"Are you serious?" The female who had spoken turned to the grunt with a look of surprise. "So that stuff I heard about a strange Pokemon killing Rockets today was true? How could this kid be Giovanni's son?"

"Giovanni said so himself," the grunt assured hastily. "I'm sure the boss wouldn't make such a thing up. Anyway, I think we better take him to the boss otherwise he might have that Pokemon come out and kill us." He shuddered at the thought.

Ash clenched his fists, lowering his head in shame. That person really thought he would just send out Justice and have them killed on a whim? He really had made an impression earlier when he lost himself and let Justice kill, hadn't he? Ash didn't want to be thought of as that kind of person. He wasn't like that at all. It was just the Pokemon, taking over his mind, turning him into something else... he never wanted to become a cold-blooded killer.

"Take me to Giovanni," Ash said in a tight voice. "Please. I have to speak to him about something important."

"I just hope the boss isn't going to be annoyed about this," one of the grunts muttered, turning to the door and punching in a code on the number pad. It bleeped and the door began to slide open. "Fine, come on. I will take you to the boss's room. You had better not try anything funny once inside or you'll regret it."

Ash bit down on his lower lip, offering a small nod. He could scarcely believe he was about to enter this base full of evil agents who plotted evil every day, taking joy in capturing rare Pokemon, and he couldn't do a thing about it. Of course he had to behave himself now, even if he saw something bad going on right before his eyes. "I won't do anything."

The grunt stepped into the building, Ash nervously following behind him. The door slid shut as the two started walking along the brightly lit corridor. There were several Rocket grunts patrolling the hallways who shot Ash suspicious looks, but seeing a grunt escorting him, they figured that it was nothing to worry about and let him continue. The two approached an elevator and the grunt pushed a button. A minute later, the doors slid open and they stepped in. Ash took a deep breath to steel himself and concentrated on staring at the numbered panels above the door, watching the numbers illuminate as the lift went up, all the way to the very top floor of the building.

"We're here," the grunt announced as the lift came to a stop. The doors slid open and they stepped out into a large room. He approached one of the doors directly in front and knocked sharply upon it, before opening it. "Boss?" the grunt asked, stepping into the room. "There is a visitor for you."

Giovanni was seated at his desk, looking over some papers with an intent expression. He looked up in mild annoyance, not pleased about his work being disturbed. "This had better be important. Who is the visitor?"

The grunt stepped aside, letting Ash step into the room. "He said you would want to see him. I hope I wasn't out of order letting him come up here."

"Oh, no, that's fine." Giovanni appeared surprised to see Ash, yet pleased at the same time. He hated to be kept waiting. "Thank you for bringing him up here. Now please excuse us." The grunt nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door. "Well, Ash." Giovanni leaned over the desk and smiled slightly. "I wasn't expecting to see you here so soon. I said you could take your time to make a decision."

"Time is something I don't have," Ash said in a terse voice, approaching the desk. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the GS Ball. "I brought the Pokemon along of course. I've made my decision and I'm sticking to it."

"I see." Giovanni drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "So, are you giving the Pokemon directly to me... or is it the other option? With such a powerful Pokemon, you could be a fine Team Rocket member and a fitting heir."

Ash couldn't prevent the shudder of revulsion that trickled down his spine. The thought of being a heir to an evil syndicate was sickening. He still despised the idea of being this man's son, but he couldn't deny his parentage. What he was going to do, it wasn't something that appealed to him, but he had to do it for the sake of everyone. "I'm not handing over the Pokemon."

Giovanni just gave him a long stare, waiting for him to continue speaking.

"I've decided to join Team Rocket," Ash continued, struggling to keep the dismal tone out of his voice. He hated what he was doing, but he needed to sound sincere. It was necessary to make Giovanni believe that he did want it at least a little. "I've run away... because I don't want to hurt the people who are important to me, and I can't think of anywhere better to hide from them. You'll let Mom go if I do this, won't you?"

"You have made a fine choice, boy." Giovanni sat back in his seat, a glimmer of triumph shining in his eyes. "Of course I will let your mother go in that case, but not just yet." He held up a hand before Ash could say something. "I can't trust you yet, so I am going to keep you under supervision for a little while and make sure you don't try anything. This could easily be some foolish trick you are attempting after all."

"Right." Ash swallowed nervously, hanging his head. Of course it wouldn't be that simple. He needed to give Giovanni time to believe this was really what he wanted and then his mom would be freed. He, on the other hand, would be stuck here with Justice, letting the Pokemon take over his mind. "I understand."

"Rest assured, I would let you know when she was released." Giovanni leaned over to press a button on the intercom. "I want two grunts up here now. Please send them as soon as you can." He released the button and looked at Ash. "You will be placed in an observation cell for a short time and be under guard. If you don't even attempt escape, then I'll know you really mean to join Team Rocket. Escaping with that Pokemon of yours would be easy, wouldn't it?" Ash nodded. "Just as I thought. So, you really are afraid you will hurt your friends?"

"What I did earlier... I would never have done something like that," Ash said, clenching his fists. "Having those people killed just like that... they had nothing to do with any of this. It wasn't fair. I'm scared that I'll hurt other people too and hurting the people close to me... I don't want to do that at all. If I told them I wanted to leave, they would just have stopped me. So I ran away... they wouldn't come looking for me here."

"A last resort, huh?" Giovanni smiled. "Well, so long as you have the Pokemon, I don't mind. Such a powerful creature would certainly be an asset to Team Rocket. What luck that my own son should be the one to capture it, eh? I read about your achievements... you are certainly a great Pokemon trainer."

Ash lowered his head, feeling guilty. His dream was to become a Pokemon master. Now that seemed to have been snatched away from him. He would just be a great Pokemon trainer after all. Someone who threw their life away by joining Team Rocket, all because he had caught the ultimate Pokemon to save people, not knowing that it would take over his mind. He had ended up sacrificing his life to protect the people important to him, and even left Pikachu behind. It was all because of that Pokemon. Justice was enslaving him, and the only option he saw he had left was to run and hide. Of course, it would also ensure his mother was freed, so he really had no choice. To simply put Justice into the hands of these people, he couldn't allow that.

"I might not agree with your ideals or what you do... but I have to do this," Ash said in a broken voice. "I'll work for Team Rocket and obey your orders. I have the most powerful Pokemon in the world and with me, it will be a part of Team Rocket too. I'm scared to think what you would do if it was all yours."

Giovanni tapped his fingers on the desk. "I'm sure that one day, you will realise the glory of working for a fine establishment like Team Rocket. It will take time, but I hope you can be a fitting heir for me. With that Pokemon taking over your mind, it doesn't seem like you will be yourself much longer anyway."

A minute later, two grunts entered the room and strode up to the desk. "You called for us, Boss?" one of them asked. "What can we do for you?"

"This boy here, I want you to take him down to the holding cell for a while," Giovanni said. "Put him under minimum guard. I don't expect he'll try anything, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Have at least one person watching him at all times. I just want to be sure he won't escape."

"At once, Boss," said the other grunt, reaching for Ash's arm. Ash jerked away from him in annoyance, startling the grunt.

"I can walk by myself," Ash said tersely. "Just show me the way there."

The two grunts looked at Giovanni in consternation, who simply nodded. It was unlikely Ash would resist capture, so using force was unnecessary. Ash followed the two grunts out of the room and into the lift, which began taking them down. Nervousness and fear was beginning to swell up in his gut as he watched the numbers illuminate. Part of him wanted to run away from this place before it was too late, but he couldn't do that. He had come here by choice and would see this through to the end. Ash clenched his fists and took deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. He actually wished he could have brought Pikachu with him for a moment, but knew he'd rather be apart from Pikachu than have him in this place.

At the thought of Pikachu, a lump welled up in Ash's throat and his eyes began stinging. He squeezed them shut and swallowed, struggling not to let his emotions take over. No way was he going to cry in front of the two Team Rocket members. The elevator ground to a halt and he was led out into a plain looking corridor. Ash walked through the hallway, seeing a few doors before they turned a corner and then he saw rows of cells.

The cells weren't exactly hospitable. Ash looked around the one that was picked out for him with clear distaste. All he got was a bed with a thin mattress and a bucket in the corner. He just needed to remind himself that it probably wouldn't be too long before he was out of here. Giovanni needed to trust him first and then he would surely be much better off.

The cell door slammed shut behind him, imprisoning him behind rows of steel bars. He wasn't really trapped though. Justice could get him out of here and wherever he wanted to go in a second, but he wouldn't escape. Ash walked over to the bed and sat on it, taking the GS Ball out of his pocket and staring at it. In the end, would everything be worth it? He sighed and leaned back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling with a forlorn expression. Ash wondered what Brock and May would be doing right now. They would know he was gone already, and they wouldn't think to look for him here. Nobody would think he was within the headquarters of an evil gang. Here, he was hidden and he wasn't a danger to the people he cared about. They would be safe.

"There is something I can do to make this easier for you," Justice said in his mind. "So that you won't be busy angsting about your friends and being homesick. What do you think?"

Was this a trap? Ash already knew by now he couldn't trust the Pokemon. It would easily deceive him, given the chance, and play with his mind. But if there was a way to ease the suffering, wouldn't that be good? "What do you mean, Justice?" he asked quietly.

"I can make it better for you," Justice said. "Would you like your mind to be clear of sadness and regret? To not worry about a thing again? To be capable of becoming the loyal member of Team Rocket your father wants?"

Ash almost snapped about not wishing for Giovanni to be referred to as his father, but bit it back. He knew it was true. Justice was only stating a fact after all. "I don't know what you mean... but I don't want to be suffering... I miss everyone so much and I'm scared of what's going to happen to me."

"Let me out for a moment," the Pokemon requested. "I won't try anything."

Ash stared doubtfully at the GS Ball, then pushed the button that opened it up. He looked up into Justice's large ebony eyes. This almost felt like a trap, but what could Justice possibly have to gain from helping him anyway? "You'll really help me?" Justice nodded. "Then, please... do it."

Justice's mouth twitched into a smile of satisfaction. The boy was doing just as it wanted, playing right into its trap. "Then, I will help you," Justice said, trying not to sound too pleased. If he resisted at the last moment, that would just waste even more time. At last, the Pokemon's conditioning of Ash's mind had resulted in this. He had given up and now his mind would belong to Justice completely.

The Pokemon's eyes glowed, a purple light shining from within. Ash quietly gasped, his body stiffening as Justice's power seized his mind, this time indefinitely. It became a blank slate, wiped clean at the Pokemon's will.

"It is done." Justice's smile widened. Ash regarded it with a blank stare, no trace of emotion showing on his face.

* * *

Giovanni was done with work for the day, neatly putting away the paperwork he had been carefully looking at. He got up from his chair, Persian looking up at him questioningly. "Work's over, Persian." Persian let out a happy mew and stretched itself luxuriously, walking behind Giovanni as he went to leave the room.

Inside the elevator, Giovanni patiently waited as it took him down to the floor with his living quarters. He had an entire floor to himself and for guests. Other Team Rocket members stayed in rooms on the floor below. He stepped out onto his floor, but instead of walking across the hall to his living quarters, he walked to the wing where guests stayed. Giovanni almost never had anybody staying in there, but right now, he had an involuntary guest of his own. Even he was above putting his ex-wife in an uncomfortable cell. His own son was just a different matter.

"How is she?" Giovanni asked, glancing at a black-suited Team Rocket agent standing in front of the tightly locked door leading into the guest residence. "She hasn't been a problem, I hope."

"Not at all. Mrs Ketchum has been quite well behaved," the agent replied. "I suppose she knows there's no point in trying to fight her way out, though she did break a couple of things. She's also eaten some food, so her health shouldn't be a problem."

"That's good to hear," Giovanni said, looking satisfied. "I would like to speak with her."

"As you wish, boss." The Rocket pulled a key from his pocket and turned around, unlocking the door. He then opened the door, allowing Giovanni to enter. Giovanni stepped through the doorway into the living room. He didn't need to look far to find Delia, who was sitting on the sofa and staring sadly at a wall. She looked up at Giovanni, then sharply looked away again with an annoyed expression.

"I don't want to talk to you," Delia muttered. "Leave me alone."

"Oh, really? Don't you want to hear about Ash?" Giovanni asked. Delia's head whipped up and she stared at him with wide eyes. "He wasn't very happy to hear about you being kidnapped of course. Came up here this morning, causing quite a racket."

Delia stood up in shock. Ash had actually been here this morning? How could he have tried coming to such a dangerous place? Of course, she knew she couldn't expect anything less from him. Ash always had a reckless streak. "I hope your men didn't do anything to him. But... how did he know where to come? Are you telling the truth?"

"I'm guessing that Pokemon of his did it, bringing him directly here," Giovanni replied dismissively. "That doesn't matter. We had a nice long chat too."

Delia's face paled and she drew in a sharp intake of breath. "You don't mean..."

"Did I tell him I was his father?" Giovanni inclined his head in a nod. "I'm sure he would have wanted to know the truth about his real father soon enough, Delia. I just made it easier for you."

Delia sank back onto the couch, looking horrified. She couldn't even begin to imagine how Ash must have felt when he learned that his own father was the leader of Team Rocket. She had been shocked herself, but what Ash was feeling had to be ten times worse. This was his father, someone who was supposed to be a role model to him, even if she hadn't told him much about his father in the first place, but the leader of Team Rocket could never be an ideal role model for someone like him. "Oh, Ash..." she whispered, her eyes welling up.

"He didn't take it so well, understandably." Giovanni shook his head slowly. He would spare her the details of what exactly had happened. Delia didn't need to know that Pokemon was doing crazy things to their son. "I gave him an ultimatium. It shouldn't be too hard for you to figure out what it was. He left after that. If things go as hoped, then you should be let free."

"You are a monster, Giovanni," Delia said angrily, looking up at him with tearful eyes. "How could you deliberately hurt our son like that? Just telling him outright and... using me like this... you should be ashamed of yourself."

Giovanni was of course far from ashamed of himself. He didn't even feel a twinge of remorse for his actions. When he was trying to gain access to the most powerful Pokemon in the world, nothing else mattered. "Goodnight, Delia," he said simply, turning and walking away. As he left the room, the Rocket standing guard locked the door behind him.

The leader of Team Rocket was well aware that he had neglected to mention that Ash was at that moment sitting in a cell after making his decision. Giovanni didn't think it worth telling her where their son was right now. She would be in for a surprise if she was released and returned home to find Ash missing. If Ash was telling the truth about wanting to join Team Rocket, things were going incredibly well. Giovanni couldn't remember the last time he had felt so satisfied. He reached out to stroke Persian's head. Persian smiled up at him and mewed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Poor Misty suffers from bad timing. At least she's back in the story now. We'll see what exactly happened to Ash as well. Silly Ash...

* * *

Misty stopped her bike on top of the hill leading down into Pallet Town and disembarked, wiping her brow. It was quite a warm morning to be cycling, but this was an emergency. She had departed from the Viridian City Pokemon Center the moment the sun was up, taking only some fruit to munch on the way there. Now her stomach was rumbling from eating so little and using up so much energy, but she didn't care. Finally, Misty had reached Pallet Town and she could hurry to the aid of her closest friend. Being there for Ash was all that mattered to her right now.

Her sisters had been rather startled when Misty announced she would be leaving the gym for a few days, but she had managed to convince them that this matter was important enough for her to leave. Now she just had to hope that they wouldn't be handing out Cascade Badges the moment a trainer so much as looked at them. Misty took off down the hill, holding carefully onto her bike as she ran alongside it. Once she reached the bottom, she got back on and pedalled as fast as she could toward the Ketchum residence.

"I'm coming, Ash," Misty muttered, the wind streaming through her short, red hair as the bike sped along through the town. She was incredibly worried about him and his mother as well. That Pokemon was having a terrible influence on Ash, by the sound of things, and she so badly wanted to help him through his trouble. It was just awful that Team Rocket would go so far as kidnapping to try and get a hold of that thing. They were only hurting Ash even more.

The bike skidded to a halt in front of Ash's house and Misty hopped off, rushing to the door. She frantically knocked on it, not ceasing until the door suddenly swung open to reveal May standing in the doorway.

"Oh, Misty, you're here!" May exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. With Ash having gone missing and everyone worrying about him, she had completely forgotten that Misty was coming over. "Come in," she said weakly, stepping aside.

Misty didn't need to be told twice. She ran past May, storming further into the house in search of Ash. Brock, who was watching television, looked up in surprise once he was aware of Misty's presence, but she didn't seem to pay any attention to him. "Ash, where are you?" Misty called out, once she had ensured he was apparently not downstairs. Brock looked up in surprise, having been watching television until Misty had entered.

"Misty, Ash is-" May was unable to finish her sentence as Misty took to the stairs, charging up them. Brock got up from the sofa and walked over to the bottom of the stairs, a perplexed stare on his face. "I totally forgot Misty was coming over here," May said, looking at Brock with a downcast expression. "What are we going to do?"

"I forgot as well," Brock admitted, letting out a sigh. He too had been extremely worried about Ash and barely able to think of anything else, let alone remember Misty coming over. "Misty is not going to take this well."

"Why did he have to leave?" May asked in frustration, standing next to Brock as the two looked up the stairs where Misty continued her fruitless search for the one person who wasn't even home.

"Ash, are you here?" Misty walked into Ash's bedroom and stopped, catching sight of Pikachu sitting on the floor and listlessly staring at Ash's hat, which he held in his paws. "Pikachu, are you okay?" she asked in concern, walking over to kneel before the mouse Pokemon. "Where is Ash?"

"Pikachupi," Pikachu said, smiling slightly as he looked up at Misty. He couldn't muster the energy to express his happiness however and went back to staring glumly at the hat. Pikachu was much too worried about Ash to really care about anything else right now.

"This is Ash's hat, right?" Misty glanced at the blue Pokeball symbol upon it and frowned. It was the exact same hat he had been wearing the last time she had seen him. If Pikachu and his hat were here and he wasn't, then something was wrong. "Has something happened to Ash?"

"Pika." Pikachu put aside the hat and allowed Misty to pick him up. "Chu. Pikachu." He pointed at the door as Misty got to her feet.

"Right. Brock and May must know what's going on. They better have a good answer for what I'm about to ask them," Misty said quietly, walking out of the room with Pikachu. She hurried down the stairs to find them. They were still standing by the stairs, having waited for her to come back down. "Where is Ash?" she asked in a nervous voice.

"Well, you see, Ash is... he's gone," May said quietly, hanging her head. "We don't..."

"Gone?" Misty echoed, her mouth hanging open in shock. Her eyebrows lowered in a disapproving frown. "What do you mean by that?"

"As in, he's left," May replied, biting down on her lower lip guiltily. Misty had come over here to see Ash and she felt bad having to tell her he wasn't even here. "We have no idea where he went."

"He just left?" Misty cried out incredulously, her voice hitting a much higher octave in her fury and disbelief. "How could you let him just leave?"

May winced and edged behind Brock, throwing him a desperate look. Misty suddenly seemed to be in a furious temper knowing that Ash was suddenly gone and she couldn't handle dealing with Misty in that state.

"Misty, calm down!" Brock exclaimed. He could see that Misty's worry had peaked to new heights now and she was taking it out on the nearest people available. He needed to try and get her to relax a little, before she got really angry. "I know you're shocked, but you don't need to go taking it out on May. It's not her fault this happened."

"You're right." Misty sighed, looking apologetically at May. "Sorry that I shouted at you... but, what happened? Why would Ash just go off and leave like that? I don't understand at all. I came all the way over here to help him and he's just gone? Why is Pikachu even here then?" She glanced down at Pikachu, who let out a sad "chu" and looked downcast.

"It's all because of that Pokemon he caught, the one Professor Ivy was making," Brock explained. "You remember how I told you that it was doing strange things with his mind?" Misty nodded. The conversation over the phone had chilled her and she wasn't going to forget it in a hurry. "Ash is afraid that he won't be able to stop it from taking over completely. So, he left in an attempt to protect us, by the sound of things. He didn't want any of us getting hurt or worse."

"All he left was a letter," May added in a subdued voice. "It explained why he was doing this, leaving us like that. He didn't say where he was going either. Ash left all his Pokemon behind, except Justice... he took it with him. We didn't realise he'd gone until Pikachu was screaming. Ash must have used that Pokemon to teleport, since we never heard him leave."

"No..." Misty shook her head, her body trembling with shock. She couldn't believe it, that Ash would actually run away and hide. He was supposed to be a strong and positive person. Had that Pokemon really shattered his confidence so much? "How could he just run away... I come all the way over here and he's..." She broke off, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Professor Oak tried calling the police to file a missing person report," May said. "It didn't work though. Ash is a responsible Pokemon trainer and Officer Jenny knew that. She said she wouldn't put out a missing report for at least twenty four hours after he disappeared and he only left yesterday evening."

"The police are so useless," Misty hissed through gritted teeth, sitting down angrily on the bottom step and staring ahead furiously. Her aquamarine eyes shimmered, unsprung tears threatening to jump to the surface. "I just don't understand why. Yesterday, I leave the gym in my sisters' care, cycle all the way to the Viridian City Pokemon Center, stay the night, and then spend all morning riding my bike over here only to find that Ash ran away. How could he do such a thing?" Her voice quivered and she swallowed, struggling not to cry.

"We'll find him somehow," Brock said, an intent expression on his face. "Ash might think he's doing the right thing by running away, but he isn't. He needs us to help him through this. Running and hiding is not going to solve the problem."

"Ash is afraid he'll really end up being a danger to everyone." May shook her head. "If only we'd tried to have a little more faith in him. I can't say that I wasn't nervous, especially after what happened on the ship, but none of it is his fault. Why should he have to suffer for it?"

"So, what are we going to do?" Misty asked. "We aren't just going to sit on our butts and wait until evening when you can get Officer Jenny to put out the report? Ash could be anywhere by then." She hated to think of him being out there alone and possibly scared, with a dangerous Pokemon preying on his mind. Why couldn't he have stayed and waited for her to come? It wasn't fair at all.

"He could be anywhere even now. That Pokemon can teleport after all," May said glumly, leaning against the wall and folding her arms. She didn't like waiting either, but it just wasn't practical to go off and search for him when they had no idea where Ash could possibly be. "Waiting is the only thing we can do at the moment, unless he changes his mind."

"I don't think he will change his mind anytime soon. Ash can be pretty stubborn sometimes," Brock said ruefully. "Officer Jenny and the police can handle it, when they decide to look for Ash. The three of us can't do much alone, so we can only leave it to them."

"Chu." Pikachu sighed and hung his head bitterly. He missed Ash terribly and wanted nothing more than for Ash to be back safe and sound, or even to be with Ash right now. How could Ash have left him behind like that? "Pikapi..." he whispered.

* * *

Domino sighed and leaned against the wall of the elevator as it slowly ascended to a lower floor, a displeased expression on her face. According to her boss, that irritating brat boy who had come by yesterday and went crazy, letting that weird Pokemon of his go about killing other Team Rocket workers, was in this very building. The boss had said some nonsense about the boy joining Team Rocket and being put in a cell under supervision, which she could scarcely believe, but if the boss said it, then she knew it had to be true.

Even though there were supposed to be people watching him in his cell and ensuring that he wasn't attempting to escape or doing anything crazy, she was the one Giovanni had asked to go down and check on his status. Domino didn't want to be anywhere near that strange Pokemon trainer, but Giovanni had specifically ordered her and she couldn't simply refuse.

Why would somebody who had outright declared his hatred of Team Rocket suddenly want to join them? It couldn't simply be due to being the boss's son, considering how vehemently he had tried to deny it at the time and gone crazy. Domino shivered as she remembered that strange Pokemon, slaughtering her fellow Rockets in an instant. It had appeared to enjoy what it was doing and probably wouldn't have stopped if it hadn't been for that boy calling it back.

The thought of Giovanni trying to gain control of something so dangerous seemed foolish now. How could he be pursuing it after what he had seen it do? It might be the most powerful Pokemon in the world, but it was bloodthirsty and rejoiced in the act of killing human beings. What if her boss, or even herself, ended up being its next victim? Domino wrapped her arms tightly around herself, chilled at such a thought. She didn't want to see that Pokemon ever again. The memory of blood staining the ground, the broken bodies and the chilling screams of the slaughtered still haunted her whenever she thought about it.

The elevator came to a halt, startling her out of her thoughts. Domino reluctantly stepped through the open doors and walked toward the cells where she found him in one, sitting on the side of the bed and staring blankly ahead at the rows of bars in front of him. There was a fairly confused look about him, but Domino paid no heed. She glanced at a plastic plate on the end of the bed, crumbs scattered over it. Apparently he had been allowed to have breakfast this morning.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Domino said in a scathing voice, taking hold of the bars and staring at him with a sharp expression. "I don't believe for a moment that you really want to join Team Rocket, after what you said and did yesterday. Is this some kind of big joke for you? You trying to make fools out of us?"

She had been expecting some kind of infuriated response, so it surprised her when he just stared at her with wide eyes. Now that she thought about it, he looked like he had no idea where he even was. "Who are you?" His voice sounded faint, as if he was afraid to even ask it in the first place.

Domino stepped back, frowning in annoyance. "You don't even remember me?" How could someone not notice her? The nerve of it all. She shook her head, reminding herself this was not the time to act vain. "You don't know who I am? I am Giovanni's top agent, Agent 009 of Team Rocket, the Black Tulip!" She twirled, a smirk on her face. Nobody could forget her own stylised introduction.

"Team... Rocket? That's who you work for?" The confused young trainer got up from the bed and approached the bars, a frightened look on his face. "What is Team Rocket supposed to be? Who is this Giovanni?" He hung his head, his body trembling. "I don't know anything."

Domino stared at him, slowly blinking. Either the boy was a very talented actor or there was something seriously wrong with him. Could he really have lost his memories? Yet, how could that even be possible? "You are kidding me, right?" Domino let out a nervous laugh. "Stop messing around, kid, this isn't funny."

"I'm serious!" he exclaimed, seizing the bars and looking desperate. "I don't even know who I am. All I know is that I have a strange Pokeball called the GS Ball and it contains a Pokemon named Justice." At that point, he took out the GS Ball and held it out. "I just remember basic things... but who am I, where I'm from... stuff like that... it's all gone."

"Justice, huh?" Domino stared at the GS Ball, a shudder passing through her body. That was the thing that had cruelly slaughtered those people yesterday. Perhaps it was responsible for the loss of the boy's memories. "Put that thing away. I don't want to see it." He quickly complied, startled by the sharpness in her voice. "It sounds like you're serious. I'll have to take you to the boss, I guess."

The blonde agent walked over to the guard standing nearby. "Hey, you. Let that boy out of the cell. I'm going to be escorting him to Giovanni now." The guard hastily nodded and moved to unlock the cell. He stepped back, letting the dark-haired trainer come out of the cell, looking around warily in the process.

"Come with me," Domino said curtly, walking through the hallway. He wordlessly followed her as she escorted him to the elevator. She wondered what Giovanni would think when he found that the boy had ended up losing his memory. Perhaps he would find it quite advantageous, Domino thought, considering that his mind was as good as a blank slate to draw on. Still, why would that freak Pokemon do something like this? Was it trying to help him to actually join Team Rocket? The same Pokemon that had killed some of them yesterday? Domino didn't understand any of it and it bothered her.

Giovanni was speaking on the phone to one of his employees while stroking Persian, who sat comfortably in his lap, when Domino returned to his office. She waited patiently until he was finished with his call before stepping further into the office. Giovanni looked up at her, surprised to see Ash behind her. "Agent 009, why have you brought my son up here? I merely requested that you check up on him, not bring him to me."

"I know, sir, but something strange has happened to him and I thought you should see for yourself," Domino said quickly, pushing her escort toward the desk. He stared straight ahead at Giovanni, a questioning look on his face. "You'll find that he's not quite himself this morning."

Giovanni raised an eyebrow, looking quite perplexed. He stared intently into Ash's dark eyes, wondering why he looked so confused. "Is there something the matter with you, boy? Why are you giving me that look?"

"Are you Giovanni?" the young trainer asked uncertainly, his forehead furrowing in a slight frown. This man was probably whom the blonde lady had mentioned, the apparent leader of some organisation named Team Rocket. Just what was this Team Rocket for that matter? "Can you tell me who I am? Why am I here?"

Giovanni recoiled in surprise, stunned by the strange questions. Could this be some kind of trick he was playing on him? Yet, judging by the lost look in his eyes and the wariness in his softly spoken voice, it was clear there had to be some truth to the situation. "Are you telling me you don't have your memory?" As he received a nod in response, he sighed in exasperation. Something strange was definitely happening here. "You still have the GS Ball, don't you? Is the Pokemon there?"

"You mean this?" The teen reached into his pocket, pulling out the GS Ball. He gazed thoughtfully at it. "I know that a Pokemon named Justice lives inside it, but that's about it. Does it have something to do with me losing my memories?" He glanced up in Giovanni, looking concerned.

Giovanni was silent for a moment, his face as blank as stone, until it was broken with a wide smirk. He chuckled and began to rub Persian a little more vigorously. "I see. So, the Pokemon had ideas of its own, did it? Don't worry, son, I will help you out." He lowered his head, a devious glint in his eyes.

Domino gazed at him, recognising the expression on his face. It seemed that he now had new ideas of his own. She reached up to tug on one of her blonde curls, letting out a quiet sigh of exasperation. Shouldn't he be worried about the Pokemon's strange actions instead of taking them as some kind of advantage? What if this was really some dangerous trap Justice was trying to lure them all into? She certainly did not trust that mutant freak one bit and was thoroughly sorry to have been the one to show Giovanni the report in the first place.

"You'll help me get my memories back?" the surprised trainer asked, his eyes widening. So this person really knew who he was after all. Yet, he felt rather bothered about what was happening. Waking up in such a cold place behind bars, it had felt quite alarming. That couldn't have been normal. What was the thing called Justice that had spoken to him the moment he woke up, telling him to be calm and just act normal, that everything would be fine?

"Don't worry." Giovanni gently deposited Persian on the floor and stood, walking around the desk to stand in front of his son, who looked up at him nervously. He placed his hands upon the boy's shoulder. "As your father, it is my duty to help you in any way that I can, Ashton. It will be alright."

Domino watched on with a disapproving look. If the boy had lost his memory, then he wouldn't remember how he had sworn not to let that Pokemon of his fall into the hands of evil. He would probably do anything that Giovanni asked, especially knowing the man was his father. The mutated Pokemon was surely as good as under the boss's control now. What was it planning?

* * *

Ash lay sprawled out on soft ground beneath him, his limbs stretched out in all directions. He felt as if he had been sleeping for quite a while now, but he couldn't remember having gone to sleep in the first place. His eyes slowly opened and he blinked a few times before looking around. All around him, there was only the inpenetrable darkness to be seen. Ash cautiously moved into a sitting position, listening intently for any sound. As he listened, he was aware that his surroundings were eerily silent and it made him feel afraid.

"Where am I?" Ash spoke out loud, comforted somewhat by the sound of his own voice. He paused as if waiting for an answer, but nothing came. "Just what is this place? Am I outside?" The surface beneath him was soft like earth, but it was too dark to really tell. There was no wind either. Wherever he was, it probably wasn't outside after all.

"Well, I'm just going to have to look around then," Ash said to himself, staggering to his feet. He reached up, his hand brushing over his thick, dark hair and he realised that he wasn't wearing his hat. Had he left it somewhere? He wasn't wearing his black and yellow jacket either. Ash felt as if there was something he was forgetting, but he would probably remember soon enough. His mind was kind of fuzzy and he was confused at the moment after all.

As he started running through what seemed like endless darkness, his mind suddenly began to clear. The turbulent events of the past few days rushed back to him, from learning the truth about Professor Ivy, to the point where he had ended up becoming so desperate that he had made a drastic choice.

Ash started to slow down until he came to a complete stop and leaned over, gasping for breath. "Pikachu," he whispered in a pained voice. Now he remembered, suddenly leaving Pikachu alone in his room and deserting everyone. He had run away with the Pokemon, Justice, and even separated himself from his best friend. His heart ached as he remembered Pikachu's pained voice calling out to him. It had been for the best though, hadn't it? He would protect his friends and Team Rocket would let his mother go.

"But why am I here?" Ash muttered, jamming his hands into his pockets and slowly walking through the darkness, looking around in confusion. If only he had a Pokemon with him, especially a fire type that could light his way, but all his Pokemon were back home and all he had was Justice, the last Pokemon he wanted to simply let out on a whim. It suddenly occurred to him that his pockets were empty. "The GS Ball!" Ash exclaimed, pulling out the bottoms of his pockets in surprise. "Where did it go?"

More chunks of his memory were filled as he struggled to remember the last few moments before he had gone to sleep. He had spoken to Giovanni in his office before being taken down to the cells. Ash remembered Justice asking him to let it out of the GS Ball, promising him that it would help. It had claimed it would make it so that he didn't have to suffer while he was with Team Rocket, or something along those lines. That was the last thing Ash could remember.

"Justice!" Ash yelled, his loud voice echoing around him. He hoped for an answer, but didn't receive one. "Just what did you do to me? Did you put me somewhere?" There was still only the deadening silence. "Justice... what's going on?" Ash asked weakly, falling to his knees with a despairing look on his face. "You said you would make it so that I didn't have to be sad or afraid... well, I'm afraid right now!"

The dark world around him remained silent, unwilling to yield to his cries. Ash swallowed nervously, clenching his fists. This was freaking him out. The GS Ball was gone and Justice wasn't speaking to him, wherever it was. "Please... speak to me," Ash begged, his body beginning to tremble. This strange darkness and the silence that accompanied it rattled his nerves. What if something terrible had happened to him and he didn't know it? "Why won't you speak to me?" he shouted desperately.

A dim light suddenly lit up his surroundings, causing him to rapidly blink and rub his eyes in surprise. Ash warily looked around, taking notice of the slabs of stone sticking out of the ground nearby. He appeared to be atop a small slope, looking out over the sparse area that was surrounded by a high iron fence. The few trees in the vicinity appeared to be dead and there was no grass on the grey earth that he was sitting upon. Ash looked up to see a thick covering of heavy clouds above. He looked back down with a disturbed expression. This place was just too weird and creepy.

Ash got up and walked down the slope toward the rows of stone slabs. As he came closer, it occurred to him that they might be gravestones and a violent shudder coursed through his body. The fact that there were dead trees and no grass wasn't helping. Upon checking one of the stones, he found that it had no writing. All the other stones were the same. Perhaps it wasn't a cemetery after all, but then what was up with the stone stabs being placed here like they were meant to be gravestones?

A Pokemon materialised before him, seemingly out of nowhere, causing Ash to cry out in shock and back away. He watched in amazement as even more Pokemon appeared out of thin air. Why were these Pokemon here? They didn't even move or speak as they stared right at him. There were nine of them in total, Ash noticed, and there didn't seem to be any more of them appearing, but why were these Pokemon here?

"Hoothoot. Beedrill. Magnemite. Misdreavus. Nuzleaf. Swinub. Meditite. Kingdra. Magcargo." Ash spoke their names slowly and carefully, taking a little time to remember some of the ones he had seen less frequently or hadn't seen in a long while. "I don't understand. Why are you appearing before me?" Apart from briefly owning a Beedrill and having a Noctowl, he had no connection to any of these particular Pokemon.

"We were all chosen for a reason..." The voice appeared to be coming from the Hoothoot. Ash looked at it, startled by the fact that it was speaking in a human tongue. "I am the Normal and Flying type. Beedrill represents Poison and Flying. Magnemite is Steel and Electric. Misdreavus is the Ghost type. Nuzleaf is Grass and Dark. Swinub, Ice and Ground. Meditite is Psychic and Fighting. Kingdra, Water and Dragon. Magcargo, Fire and Rock."

"Together, that is all seventeen types," the Misdreavus spoke up. "Do you understand now why we were chosen, human?"

"All seventeen types together?" Ash frowned, trying to think. Hadn't that been a key point of Professor Ivy's experiment? Making it so that Justice had control of them all? So, that was it. He was looking at the very Pokemon that Professor Ivy had used, wasn't he? "All of you... you are Justice, aren't you?"

"Yes. We were betrayed by the filthy human!" the Magcargo said angrily. The other Pokemon cried out in rage and sadness as the subject of the one who killed them was brought up. "We had no idea what she would do."

"When she had some of us specially ordered from our own regions, how could we have guessed what our fates would be?" asked the Nuzleaf. "We didn't think we would be killed by her."

"Hold on... if you're the ones Professor Ivy killed, then that means I'm talking to the spirits of dead Pokemon and I'm standing in a place that looks like a cemetery." Ash's eyes widened in horror and his face turned a paler shade. "It couldn't be that I'm dead too?"

"No, human, you aren't dead," Magnemite said. "You wanted to be free of your sadness and regret, didn't you? We solved that by sealing away your memories. This is the part of your mind where they were placed. In other words, you aren't exactly in your own body."

Ash sat down, his head spinning in confusion. "Wait, my memories? So... I'm somewhere in my mind... but you're in my mind... is that because of Justice?" He stared at the Pokemon with a disturbed expression. "So, I'm here because of that? Then, what's happening with my body right now?"

"Your body is still functioning as normal. You don't remember much right now and we'll keep it that way," the Kingdra told him, not at all sounding sorry about it. "It's easier. One day, we will achieve our goal of causing humankind pain and suffering for what they have done. It's simply more convenient without you getting in the way."

"You tricked me!" Ash exclaimed. "When I wanted things to be easier for me, I didn't think you meant taking my memories away. So now I'm stuck inside this weird place and I don't even know what I'm doing right now in my own body? Man, this is just messed up." His head was starting to throb dully, the sign of a headache coming on. "I guess, in a sense, you really did do what I asked for."

"You don't like being shut away in this dark place?" Swinub asked. Ash shook his head vehemently. "How do you think we feel, human? We are trapped too in death, within the body of the monstrosity we were killed in order to create. A human being treated us with love and kindness before she suddenly ended our lives in that lab. We are hurting, we are angry, and we want the filthy, traitorous humans dead."

"Stop calling me human. My name is Ash!" Ash exclaimed. "I am Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and I'm going to become a Pokemon Master one day. It's always been my dream and I won't let something like this ruin it."

"We don't care what your name is or what you want to do," said Beedrill. "All humans are the same to us. Pathetic lifeforms that deserve punishment. Because of them, we are no longer alive. We cannot live in the world we loved so much or do the things we used to enjoy. We are forever trapped in the darkness. All we want is to be alive, but because that isn't possible, we chose to get revenge."

"Do you know what it's like to be cut open while you are still alive, thrashing about on that table and begging for life? It is the most painful thing you can ever experience, especially when you know that you are about to die at the hand of the person who cared for you and you came to trust, " Meditite murmured.

Ash lowered his head sadly, remembering those terrifying dreams that Justice had shown him. He had seen those Pokemon being cut up or killed in other ways, heard their terrified screams of agony and practically felt the pain that they were feeling as they slowly died at Professor Ivy's hands. These Pokemon were dead and they hated it. They wanted to be alive so badly, but nothing could bring them back now. They were simply sad and angry over what had happened to them. Perhaps, if he could talk to them... Ash raised his head, his eyes wobbling.

"Hey..." Ash said, a small smile on his face. "While I'm here, why don't you listen to my story? You don't have anything better to do, right?"

The Pokemon responded with silence, giving him stony stares. They didn't care for his stories, but they weren't going to stop him from talking if that was what he wanted to do.

"Okay then." Ash sat back, gazing up at the gloomy clouds above his head. "Three years ago, I was ready to start my Pokemon journey. I was to pick Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. But the next day, I woke up late and ended up running to Professor Oak's laboratory in my pajamas. Because I was late, the three starters had already been taken by other trainers, but it was a good thing. That was how I got my best friend, Pikachu."

As Ash continued to tell the long story of his journey, not missing out a single important detail, his audience hung onto each word he said and listened intently. They were interested in this story now and would end up listening to the end. Ash paused, seeing their watchful gazes, and smiled. So they were keen on hearing it after all. He resumed speaking, telling them about his eventful life as a Pokemon trainer.


	14. Chapter 14

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

Pikachu sure knows how to be useful in this chapter, which is a very good thing indeed.

* * *

He had woken up this morning, feeling lost and confused, with so few memories of his own that he knew nothing about himself. A woman had come, taking him out of that cold and lonely cell, and he had found himself standing before the imposing looking man in the orange suit. Just the look of his cold eyes had been enough to strike fear into his heart.

Then the man, who was named Giovanni and was the head of this organisation known as Team Rocket, had told him that his own name was Ashton and he was the man's son. Apparently, he was to be Giovanni's heir, which probably meant he was to take over the company at some point in the future.

As Ashton sat upon the cot in a room that had been prepared for him, somewhere within the living quarters for Team Rocket employees, staring at the bundle in his lap, he didn't know what to think. Even with amnesia, he knew perfectly well that waking up one morning in a prison was not normal. If that man was his father, why did he have him in a cell in the first place? Just where had he been before that?

At least he was in a proper room now, though it was just as small, and he had even been given the Team Rocket uniform to wear. Ashton held up a black shirt with a bold red R printed on it. What was Team Rocket anyway? All he knew was that his father was the leader and he was expected to follow in his footsteps. He didn't care about this Team Rocket thing, he just wanted the answers to his questions.

"Relax," Justice spoke, startling him. The strange Pokemon hadn't spoken since that morning and he had nearly forgotten all about it. "Before you lost your memory, you wanted to join Team Rocket. Is that not good enough for you?"

"I did?" Ashton asked doubtfully. Of course he wouldn't remember such a thing, but it just didn't seem true. That man seemed far too scary, even if he was his father, and he wasn't sure about following someone like him. If the Pokemon was telling him so, it was probably true. "Do you know why I lost my memory, Justice?"

"Just put the uniform on," Justice said gently. "You are going to follow your father and become one of Team Rocket." The rest of its thoughts went unspoken. Once the unwitting boy was fully accepted into the organisation, Justice would hatch some plan which involved the destruction of humans. Within an evil syndicate seemed like a good start for matters. It wouldn't be surprised if these people had actively harmed or threatened Pokemon. They were clearly some of the lowest of the low.

"But I don't know anything about him or Team Rocket. It kinda scares me," Ashton mumbled, pulling his white t-shirt over his head and putting it to the side. Justice remained silent as he continued to undress, before reluctantly putting on the uniform. The cap felt oddly comfortable on his head, he realised. "I don't like these clothes," he muttered, standing up and looking down at himself.

"Stop complaining," Justice chided. "Your father wanted you to be his heir and join Team Rocket. This is the least that you can do for him, isn't it?" The Pokemon was getting exasperated with his behaviour already. The memory sealing was supposed to make things easier for him, but it seemed he had only ended up doubting his decision even more. Though, without remembering the reasons for coming here in the first place, it was probably to be expected after all. Justice knew now it hadn't thought this all the way through.

"I guess so, but somehow it just doesn't feel right," Ashton complained quietly, walking to the door. He was intimidated by the man who called himself his father. How could he follow such a person? Justice wasn't answering his questions either, and he still didn't know why he had woken up imprisoned. Nothing seemed right at all. He reached out and opened the door.

A Team Rocket grunt was waiting outside the door. He turned, glancing at the boy clad in the black Team Rocket uniform, judging his appearance. It was strange that a new recruit would wear that particular uniform, and not the white one, but Giovanni's son got special treatment. "You are wearing the full uniform, I see. Very good. So you are ready to come and learn the ropes, now that you are a Team Rocket member?"

This was it. It felt as if there was no backing out now. Ashton would happily have backed out right now and left, even with Justice's encouragement to fit into the team, and gone to find someone who could really help him, but he had no choice. Instead, he just nodded quickly.

The grunt raised an eyebrow, surprised by the silence that he was met with. Perhaps the boy was simply a reluctant new employee or just not very talkative. "Well, then. Come along now."

* * *

"Even though Charizard's refusal to battle against what he considered a weak opponent ended up in me losing the league, I was never really mad at him for what he did." Ash had reached the end of his Kanto story by now. He had decided he would skip the Orange Islands part of it, since the Pokemon would surely not like to hear about that place, but he would talk more about his Charizard. "I still considered Charizard to be my dear friend."

Some of the Pokemon were surprised to hear what Ash said. Despite the fact that his Charizard had stopped him from getting further through the Kanto League and becoming champion, he still cared for it. They didn't want him to stop telling his story. It was the most interesting thing any of them had heard in a long while. They had also been impressed by his recount of protecting Pikachu from the Spearow and other times he had gone to such lengths to protect Pokemon.

"It was my fault really for not training Charizard properly. It wasn't his fault at all. He wouldn't obey someone like me then. I won his trust one day though," Ash said, smiling as he remembered the time Charizard had finally come to obey him. "He got frozen badly one time and I didn't leave his side once while he was in that state. I built campfires around him to help him defrost and I slept by him the whole night. In the morning, he was fine and he realised how much I really cared. From that point, he listened to me."

Ash pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, letting out a quiet sigh. "Charizard wanted to leave one day. He fell in love with this female Charizard in a place named the Charific Valley. I was so sad when he wanted to leave, I really didn't want him to go, but he was so sad that in the end I let him go. He's come back to help me a few times though, so it's not like he's really gone. Now... I'll talk about the journey in Johto."

The Pokemon continued to listen to him, enraptured by the stories of what he had done in Johto. Ash talked about how he had hatched the Larvitar from an egg, cared for it and returned it to its mother among the other things he had done while he travelled through the region. This story was much longer than Kanto's, but he didn't leave out any important details. He wanted the Pokemon to get to know him, what kind of a person he was, and his relationships with his own Pokemon.

* * *

Giovanni briefly left his duties to go and check up on what his son was up to. He was hardly going to spend all day watching the boy learn what his job was as a member of Team Rocket, but it was good to check once in a while and make sure that Ash wasn't simply pulling the wool over his eyes in some devious plot. However, as he watched him listen to a grunt's instructions on using various Team Rocket tools, it seemed that things might actually be going well.

If he could look inside Ashton's mind and read his thoughts right now however, he wouldn't have been so impressed. The boy's doubts only seemed to be increasing the more he learned about Team Rocket, especially how they stole Pokemon from other people and even harmed them if they had to, something that surprised Justice. Even without his memory, he still cared about Pokemon and could tell right from wrong. His love for Pokemon was obviously so deep that it could transcend even memory loss. It certainly wasn't a bad thing though, the Pokemon thought. Maybe this particular human wasn't so bad, but it wouldn't give up on its goals. Nothing would change that, it stubbornly thought.

In the afternoon, Giovanni was sitting at his desk and eating his lunch where he sat, Persian happily munching from a bowl of gourmet Pokemon food next to him, when he decided that it would be time to issue a certain order. The boy had lost his memory, joined Team Rocket and would be obedient to them from now on.

Giovanni reached out and pressed a button on the intercom, calling his secretary. "Please send Agent 009 to my office." He then continued to eat his lunch until Domino finally arrived at his office, walking up to the desk with a questioning look. "I have an order for you, Domino. Please see to it that Delia Ketchum is safely transported back to Pallet Town. Do not, under any circumstances, let her catch sight of my son or mention him to her. I want his presence here to be a secret, even from his own mother. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Domino swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. She wished that woman would be taking her son away with him, but Giovanni clearly wasn't going to let that happen anytime soon. The blonde spun around on her feet and briskly walked out of the room, hurrying to issue the order that Giovanni had given her.

* * *

Misty had barely touched her lunch at all despite the fact that Brock had been the one to cook it. She was sitting on the sofa with a desolate expression on her face, looking at one of the photographs of Ash in Sinnoh. He was smiling cheerfully at the camera, his fingers raised in a victory pose, Brock and Dawn standing on either side. Various Pokemon were also in the picture with them.

"Misty?" May leaned on the back of the sofa, looking over Misty's shoulder at the photograph. "Are you alright?" she asked, sounding concerned. Misty appeared to have been hit really hard by the news. They were all worried about Ash, but she seemed to be taking it the worst.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm worried sick about him," Misty said in a tearful voice, her emotions rushing to the surface again. "I barely know what's going on, what I've heard about all the weird stuff happening to Ash scares me, and to think that he's just gone like that without telling anyone where he's going. What if we never see him again?" Her voice broke off in a sob.

"We will," May said fiercely, her expression hardening in determination. "There is no way we will give up on Ash. I don't care how long it takes or how hard it is, we will find Ash somehow. He can't hide from us forever. Misty, he needs us more than ever. You can't give up on him."

"You're right," Misty murmured, taking a deep breath to calm her fraught nerves. "But... I'm scared for him. I don't want Ash to be hurt. I care so much about him, I hate to think of him being out there, alone and suffering. Why would he put himself through that?" She let out a heavy sigh. "Maybe things would have been different if I'd come to the Orange Islands with you guys. I shouldn't have put my gym duties first."

"That's not true," May protested, walking around the sofa and sitting next to her. "Ash did everything by himself. There wasn't anything you could changed just by being there. He would still have ended up catching that freak Pokemon and we'd still have all that trouble that resulted because of it. I want him to come back just as badly as you do."

"No, Mimey! I'm going to do the sweeping now, you go and find something else to do!" May and Misty sharply looked up at the sound of Brock's loud voice, seeing him ensuing in a tug of war match with the furious Mr. Mime. Despite the situation, the two girls couldn't help smiling at their antics.

"Things will be okay as long as we try our best," Misty said, sounding a bit more confident now, as she and May looked at each other again, still smiling. "We're going to do everything we can to find Ash and get him back home. He's counting on us to save him."

"That's right." May nodded enthusiastically, raising a fist of determination. "We will never give up on Ash. It's just too bad the police want to wait before they look for him. What if they didn't wait and if he was found by now?"

"I would be over the moon," Misty said, leaning back on the sofa and closing her eyes tiredly. "Then I would yell at him for running away and tie him up so that he couldn't do anything."

"That's pretty extreme, but then again, I'm probably not one to talk." May fell silent, content to simply rest on the sofa and wonder where Ash would be right now. What was he doing out there, all alone with that Pokemon? What if it had already consumed his mind? It was a terrifying thought, but it could be the case, and she hoped it wouldn't be so.

Half an hour later, the sound of whirling blades from nearby brought everyone running to the front door to see what the noise was about. They stepped outside, startled to see a large, black helicopter coming down not far from the house. The wind furiously whipped at them as they watched the helicopter, shielding themselves from the billowing dust caused by the helicopter's landing.

"That helicopter," Misty muttered, squinting at its side. "There's a big red R on it. Does that mean that it's Team Rocket?" She was pretty sure it wasn't Jessie, James and Meowth. "What are they doing here?"

"Maybe Team Rocket is coming after us next!" May backed away toward the door, a flicker of terror passing over her face as she stared at the helicopter. "They might be planning to kidnap us as well and hold us hostage along with Ash's mom."

"Then we send out our Pokemon and fight them," Brock said, reaching for his Pokeballs. "They won't be able to take us that easily."

"My bag is still inside the house," Misty said, sounding worried. "I'll have to go inside so that I can get my Pokemon. Why would Team Rocket want to take us as well anyway? Isn't one hostage enough?"

The helicopter's door slid open at that moment, a Team Rocket agent appearing in the doorway. Brock, May and Misty watched him cautiously, wondering what his next move would be. They didn't expect him to suddenly lift someone out of the helicopter and then drop the person to the ground below. The door slid shut again and the helicopter started to lift back into the air.

Delia struggled to her feet and hurried toward the house, blocking her ears against the noise of the helicopter's spinning blades. She hadn't yet noticed the trio standing at the door of her own house and was quite startled when she almost stumbled into them.

"Mrs Ketchum!" Brock exclaimed, looking just as shocked as May and Misty did at that moment. It was a great relief to see her back safe and sound, but completely unexpected that it would happen so soon. "Are you alright? I hope those Team Rocket monsters didn't hurt you."

"Brock, Misty, May? Well, I must say that this is quite a surprise. I wasn't expecting a welcoming committee." Delia smiled awkwardly, a little taken aback. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I was actually treated quite well for a hostage."

"Mime!" Mimey came barrelling through the door and wrapped its arms around Delia's waist in a joyful hug. Pikachu joined in on the embrace, happily rubbing against her leg with a grin.

"So Team Rocket let you go?" May watched the helicopter fly away into the distance until it was just a speck in the sky. Her eyes widened and she turned back to look at everyone in realisation. "Then, that must mean that Ash handed it over, right?"

"Oh, that's right. Where is he?" Delia looked around in surprise. "I thought he would have been here." She saw the look on Brock, May and Misty's faces and frowned. "Has something happened to Ash?"

"The condition for your return was that Ash hand over that Pokemon to Team Rocket," Brock explained. "But to think that he would actually place such a dangerous thing in the hands of evil... no, I can't believe he would make such a rash decision so quickly."

"Why don't we go inside now," Delia said quietly. "It sounds like there's a lot to talk about." The four of them walked inside to sit at the kitchen table, Pikachu jumping onto Misty's lap so that he could listen to the conversation as well.

"You know about what happened on the Orange Islands, right?" May asked. She faintly remembered Professor Oak talking about that news report before.

"Yes. I was quite shocked to hear that my son and his friends had been going off right into the face of danger," Delia said, sounding exasperated. "I can tolerate Ash's recklessness, but it's quite unsettling to hear him talking on the television about how a crazy woman pointed a gun at him." She shuddered. "How horrible."

"It was dangerous, yes," Brock said, hanging his head. "I was against the idea of us going in the first place, but Ash was adamant that we make the woman pay for what she was doing. There was nothing I could have done to stop him."

"Unfortunately, her death and Ash catching the dangerous Pokemon wasn't the end of all the trouble," May said sadly, biting down on her lower lip anxiously. "Ash wasn't having a good time coping with catching Professor Ivy's creation and it was really hard on him. Learning that Team Rocket had kidnapped you didn't help matters. Ash thought it would be a good idea to go to their base all by himself. We had no idea about it at the time."

"That must have been when Giovanni spoke to him," Delia said tightly. "Did Ash tell any of you about..."

"Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni, being his father?" Brock asked. Misty gasped in shock. She hadn't yet heard about that after all. "Ash was quite upset to learn about that. We weren't there to see it, but apparently he took it really badly." He still remembered what he had read in that letter, where Ash had told them about the trip to Team Rocket's base.

"What?" Misty looked around in astonishment. "I can't believe that such a man could be Ash's father. That's terrible... poor Ash. He really must have been upset about it."

"Ash ran away from home yesterday, leaving us just a letter of farewell," May told Delia. "We didn't even know he was thinking of doing that, but he did. He wanted to be far away from us as possible. Professor Oak tried calling the police, but it's too early to file a missing person report. That's what Officer Jenny said."

"I came all the way over here to find Ash had already gone after hearing about everything that was happening." Misty clenched a fist. "How could he do that?"

"Ash ran away?" Delia put a hand over her mouth. "I can't believe he would do that. If Team Rocket's let me go, then does that mean he gave them that Pokemon after all?" She could hardly believe that either, but it was the only explanation for her release.

"Hold on... I thought Ash ran away because he was scared of losing his mind and hurting us all in the process," May muttered, sounding confused. "If he changed his mind and gave the Pokemon to Team Rocket instead, wouldn't that be a good enough reason to come back home?"

"But the letter sounded like his decision was final." Brock frowned intently. "It sounded as if he intended to hold onto that Pokemon, despite the consequences. Plus, he wouldn't want Team Rocket using something like the most powerful Pokemon in the world, would he?"

"Giovanni must have asked him for the Pokemon in exchange for Mrs Ketchum, right?" May asked. "Isn't that what he wanted? Why else would he let her go?"

Pikachu's ears pricked up, a memory returning to him. That time at the Team Rocket base, when Giovanni had been telling Ash of the conditions, there had been something else, an alternative request, hadn't there? "Pika!" he exclaimed, jumping onto the table.

"Pikachu, what's the matter?" Misty asked in surprise as Pikachu began waving his arms and talking frantically. "Talk a bit more slowly. We can't understand you as well as Ash can."

"Pikapi. Pikapi!" Pikachu said.

"Pikapi is Ash, right?" May spoke. "You're telling us something about Ash?"

"PiPikachu," Pikachu said next. At their blank faces, he sighed and put on his best imitation of a Meowth face. It would hopefully get the point across.

"Meowth? As in, Team Rocket's Meowth?" Misty asked doubtfully. Pikachu turned to her and nodded enthusiastically. "So, PiPikachu means Team Rocket? You are saying something about Ash and Team Rocket?"

"Pi! Pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, looking much happier. They were able to understand what he was trying to tell them now. The next part would be much harder however.

"Oh, that's right. Pikachu was with Ash at Team Rocket's base. I remember him mentioning Pikachu in the letter," Brock said quickly. "Pikachu must be trying to tell us something that Ash didn't."

"This is to do with the Pokemon and Mrs Ketchum's release, right?" May asked, wanting to make sure they were on the same track as Pikachu. Pikachu nodded. "Hmm. So, Giovanni did want the Pokemon, right?" Pikachu said a brief "Pi" in response. "But Ash wasn't planning to let go of the Pokemon."

"Oh." A terrible thought had suddenly occurred to Delia. "I just thought about something. Giovanni seemed to be quite interested in his son, despite the fact that he ran out on us while Ash was only a baby. But, now... what if he had changed his mind?"

"Then, what are you suggesting? Giovanni asked Ash to join them?" Misty let out an incredulous laugh. "That's ridiculous. He should know that someone like Ash would never do such a thing."

"Pikachu! Pika!" Pikachu yelled. Misty looked at him, startled by his sudden vehement response. "Pikapi kachu!"

"Giovanni really did ask Ash to join them, didn't he?" May asked grimly. "Then that would have been the other condition for the release of Mrs Ketchum?" As Pikachu nodded, she quietly gasped. "Then, if he did that, he was allowed to hold onto the Pokemon?"

"Pi, pi." Pikachu sighed in relief. So he had managed to help them realise it after all.

"But, there's no way that Ash would join Team Rocket," Delia protested. "He hates them and what they do. Just because that awful man is his father, it's no good reason for him to do it."

"It's the perfect place to hide, isn't it? We wouldn't think of looking there," Brock said quietly. "He didn't want us to find him. That Pokemon was seriously messing with his mind. Ash was afraid of what he would do next. The only option he saw he had was to run and hide before he ended up hurting us."

"So that's where Ash is hiding right now?" Misty stood up, scraping back the chair loudly. "He's in Team Rocket's base with the Pokemon, letting it do even more damage to him? The idiot! Why would he go to such a place?"

"Well, because of that, Mrs Ketchum was freed, so it does make sense," May murmured. "He got somewhere to hide from us and had his mother freed in exchange. I can see why Ash would do it. If that Pokemon ends up completely controlling him, it's probably not going to even matter."

"He's really given up, hasn't he?" Brock shook his head. "Well, we are definitely not giving up on Ash." He looked at Delia. "So, the base... was it quite far away? I mean, so that we can tell the police."

"Oh, right." Delia paused, remembering the time the helicopter ride had taken. It certainly hadn't been a long time at all. "Actually, no, I think it was really close. If I had to guess, I would say around Viridian City. If any further away than that, Pewter City."

"Well, I'm pretty sure there are no places in Pewter City that could be a Team Rocket hideout," Brock said. "So, it looks like their base must be somewhere in Viridian City. It's quite a large city too, so they could hide easily."

"Pi! Pika!" Pikachu had remembered something else now. Justice had known where the Team Rocket base was when using its powers to search for Team Rocket and mentioned its location to Ash, with Pikachu there to hear it.

"Oh, so Pikachu knows where the base is too?" Misty looked at the mouse Pokemon in astonishment. "So it is in Viridian City, right?" Pikachu bobbed its head up and down in confirmation.

"Pikachu, you are the best!" May happily grabbed Pikachu and hugged him tightly. Pikachu let out an embarassed chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks to you, we have a good idea of where Ash is now."

"That Giovanni." Delia rose to her feet, looking pensive. "Not only did he have the nerve to tell Ash he was his father, but to invite him into his evil gang? When I married him, I had no idea he was the future heir to Team Rocket. In fact, I didn't even know it until he turned up on my doorstep with his cronies and they kidnapped me."

"You must have been really shocked to find out yourself. Giovanni sounds like a terrible person for sure," Misty said bitterly. "Doing all this just to get his hands on the most powerful Pokemon... I wouldn't expect any less of Team Rocket, but he's so cruel."

"Yes. He's not like Jessie, James and Meowth, that's for sure," Brock commented. "While they may certainly do wrong, they wouldn't stoop so low. They even helped us out back there on Valencia Island."

"We have to save Ash." May clenched a fist. "I don't care how, but we need to get him away from Team Rocket's clutches. He could be in danger, and I don't mean whatever Justice is doing to him."

"If we let the police know about this, then they will do what they can," Delia said firmly. "I am very worried about Ash, but this should be left up to them, don't you think? It sounds far too dangerous for you to be getting involved." She looked sternly at the three, hoping her point would be made.

"Of course, Mrs Ketchum," Misty said, lowering her eyes and staring at the floor. "We understand."

"Uh huh." May slowly nodded, biting her lip anxiously. Brock nodded as well, not saying anything.

"Good. I am glad to see that you all agree with me," Delia said. She didn't want to see them going off into danger. Team Rocket could be only be worse than one crazy woman with a gun. "Now, I'm going to see Professor Oak and let him know that I'm back. Don't want to keep him worrying about me. See you in a while." She waved before turning and leaving the house.

"Well, looks like we're just going to have to leave it to the police. They know best, don't they?" Brock turned around as he finished speaking, seeing that both May and Misty were staring at him with haughty expressions. "What's the matter now?"

"If it was up to Ash to save a friend, he would go right up there, not leave it up to the police. Besides, you saw how useless Officer Jenny was being last night," May said. "She wouldn't even let out a report until it had been twenty four hours. That's still a few hours away."

"Yeah, and if anybody can convince Ash to come back home and stop being so foolish, it's us. He would listen to his own friends, right?" Misty smiled. "That's why we have to do this. You think Officer Jenny and a bunch of guys will be any good at it?"

"Pika!" Pikachu raised a clenched paw, clearly agreeing with Misty and May's objective.

"There's no point in arguing, is there?" Brock placed a palm against his forehead in frustration. Ash's reckless streak had obviously rubbed off on Misty and May. There was nothing he could say that would change their minds and it was three against one, including Pikachu. "Fine, but we have to be careful, you know? This is an evil gang we're talking about, not one person."

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. We won't know what we we are capable of doing until we try it, right?" May said confidently, a determined smile on her face.

"We won't be too reckless," Misty assured. "Like May says, we'll just see what we can do. If we can just get to Ash, then that's good enough, isn't it?"

"Fair enough. Let's get ready for the journey then," Brock said. "We'll head out to Viridian City as soon as we're ready to leave."

When Delia returned, she was surprised to find that Mimey was alone in the house. A letter left on the table told her that three certain people had done the exact opposite of what she advised. "Those children." Delia sighed. "Why must everyone go looking for trouble?"

"Mime, mime." Mimey wrung a dishcloth in its hands, its expression mirroring the despairing look that was on Delia's face.

* * *

Giovanni looked up to see that a Team Rocket grunt had brought Ashton up, just as he has requested. He beckoned for his son to come closer to the desk, which he reluctantly did so. "Have you been having a good day so far, Ashton?"

Ashton wanted to respond in the negative, but he suspected that his father wouldn't like that answer and he didn't want to make the man furious at him. "Yes." He stared at his feet, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Yes, sir," Giovanni said in a stern voice. "That is how you will address me." He shook his head slowly. "Now, I have something important to tell you, but I don't know if you'll know what I'm talking about."

Ashton looked up at him curiously. "What is it... sir?"

"A certain hostage of mine has been released recently," Giovanni said, searching with his sharp eyes for any sudden change of expression on the boy's face. However, he seemed to have no idea what he was talking about. At least, it proved that the memory thing was real. Giovanni didn't doubt it at this point, but it was good to make sure.

"A hostage?" Ashton asked. He struggled to remember the meaning of the word, but found it not so easy to recall. "What does that word mean?"

"It doesn't matter." Giovanni waved a hand dismissively. "You know that I am your father, but have you ever wondered about your mother, son?"

"My mother?" Ashon was startled to realise he hadn't thought about that. If his father was this frightening man, perhaps his mother was frightening too. It wasn't such a pleasant thought. But, if he had a mother, why hadn't he seen her? "Where is she?"

"You don't have a mother," Giovanni said curtly. "I just wanted you to know that. You are dismissed from your duties for today. Remember to wake up early tomorrow." He looked up at the grunt. "Please show him the way back to his room."

As the two left the room, Giovanni sat back in his chair with a smug smile. Persian purred and jumped up into his lap, curling up into a tight ball. Things were certainly going very well indeed. He would not let anything ruin this now, with his son under Team Rocket's control and the Ultimate Pokemon in his possession.


	15. Chapter 15

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

It's May's Exploration Team to the rescue! How far will they manage to get?

* * *

The journey to Viridian City had progressed without any interruptions. When it started getting dark, the travelers had set up camp a few miles away from the city and spent the night in their sleeping bags. Morning had risen and now they were eating a quick breakfast, eager to continue the rest of the journey.

"I hope we'll be able to see Ash soon," Misty said, chewing on a bite of her roll, looking pensive as she did so. "If we could just get to him and persuade him to come back with us somehow, that would be great. But then again, they might not want to let him go."

"Yeah. He was kind of forced into entering Team Rocket, wasn't he?" May sighed as she hungrily bit into a rice ball. "They kidnapped his mom after all and he didn't want to go handing over that dangerous Pokemon to those evil people. If it wasn't for the kidnap, I'm sure Ash wouldn't have gone anywhere near Team Rocket. He would have run away somewhere else to hide from us."

"Pika." Pikachu looked up from his rice ball that he was devouring, a sad expression on his face. He still couldn't understand why Ash would have run away and actually left him behind. "Pikapi..."

"It's okay, Pikachu. We're going to do our best," May said confidently, attempting to lift his spirits. "We'll just go in there and look for Ash. He would have done the same thing, no matter how dangerous it was. We'll show him that he isn't the only one who can be reckless."

"I'd like it if we could not be reckless to the point of getting hurt or even worse," Brock said nervously. "These people are dangerous. Then again, Ash didn't seem to care how dangerous things could get either. There was this Pokemon Hunter in Sinnoh and we ran into her a few times. Ash would keep getting in the way of her schemes of course. In fact, the third time she appeared, she tried to get him killed in a burning forest."

"Ouch," Misty muttered. "This Pokemon Hunter sounds like a scary woman."

"As if that wasn't enough of a warning, Ash then snuck onto her airship by himself and rushed into the room where she was, trying to save the Riolu she captured. She attacked him with her Pokemon again and then he ended up falling from the sky." Brock shook his head. "I'm pretty sure she wanted him dead."

"Pika." Pikachu shuddered, remembering that terrifying experience when he and Ash had been plummeting to the ground hundreds of miles below.

"Eh?" May cringed. "How did he get out of that one?"

"The Pokemon Ranger saved him," Brock replied. "She really was a dangerous woman. Ash behaved really carelessly at the time, trying to save that Pokemon, but he still hasn't lost that reckless streak of his. Still, considering how he manages to get out of everything relatively unscathed, it might not hurt to be a bit more like him."

As the three continued to talk, they were being watched from behind a bush. Jessie, James and Meowth listened intently to the conversation. They had only just caught sight of the trio and sneaked closer to listen, first hearing the start of Brock's story about the Pokemon Hunter.

"Eh? Why are they talking about that J person anyway?" James wondered. There was something strange about the group that he was trying to figure out. "There's three of them and there's Pikachu... wait, I know! There are two twerpettes there."

"Whatever happened to the short twerp boy?" Jessie looked around anxiously, as if expecting Ash to come out of nowhere and surprise them. He wouldn't be impressed to catch them spying on his friends. "Pikachu is there, so he should be somewhere around."

"This is perfect! While he's not here, let's take the chance to grab Pikachu!" Meowth grinned deviously. "We'll surprise those other twerps, snatch Pikachu before they know what's going on and run for it while we still can."

The three fell silent, trying to think of a plan to steal Pikachu and get away easily without having to waste time preparing a mecha to do it for them. As they racked their brains, they continued listening to the conversation going on nearby.

"Right. We'll just go in there and fight our way through to Ash," Misty said, her eyes shining with determination. "With all our Pokemon on hand, we should be able to get somewhere. So lets do our best in finding him and trying to talk some sense into that thick head of his."

"For starters, we'll have to find Team Rocket's base." Brock looked at Pikachu questioningly. "Do you have any idea where exactly in Viridian City it is?" Pikachu shook his head no. "In that case, we'll just have to look for it. If you know what it looks like, then that should be good enough."

"Team Rocket is not going to get away with this," May said fiercely. "That Giovanni thinks he can keep Ash hostage in their evil gang? We'll show him."

"Pi?" Pikachu pricked an ear up as he heard a few exclamations of shock and anger coming from nearby. He turned his head to see Jessie, James and Meowth leap out from behind a bush. "Pipikachu!"

"How do you know our boss's name?" Meowth demanded, before Jessie and James kicked him aside. He let out an idignant cry.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?" Jessie started.

"It's speaking to me loud and clear," James recited.

"Cut that out!" Meowth screamed, leaping up and furiously scratching their faces. "This is serious. We can't waste time reciting the motto!"

"But we have to do the motto, it's tradition," James argued, as Jessie angrily retaliated by kicking Meowth in the face. Their faces were bright red from Meowth's scratches and they weren't so impressed with his behaviour.

"Yeah, what James said." Jessie sighed and turned to look at the astonished group sitting at the table and staring at them. "Well, there's no point in saying it now. The surprise is ruined."

"Thank you," Meowth snapped. He stood up and placed his hands on his hips. "Okay, twerps, what is this talk of looking for Team Rocket's base? We won't stand for that kind of behaviour."

"Are you going to stop us?" May stood up, looking slightly amused. "Well, why don't you just try?"

"We aren't going to give up without a fight." Misty was already reaching for her bag, which contained her Pokeballs. "Bring it on!"

"Well, since you asked so nicely, we'll just have to accept the offer." Jessie flung one of her Pokeballs and it burst open in a flash of white. "Go, Seviper!" The large snake Pokemon appeared, baring its large, red fangs.

"Come out, Carnivine!" James suddenly let out a cry of pain and struggled as Carnivine chomped onto his head. "I'm not your target," he protested in a muffled voice. "Get off!" Jessie and Meowth looked on in exasperation, not bothering to lend any aid. Eventually, he managed to pry off his offending Pokemon.

"Go, Glaceon!" May threw her Pokeball.

"Go..." Misty stopped as a white light streamed from her bag. She gritted her teeth as Psyduck appeared in front of her. "Are you just doing this because I never let you battle?" she exclaimed in frustration.

"Seviper, use Poison Tail!" Jessie commanded. Seviper reared up and lunged toward Glaceon, the end of its tail glowing bright purple.

"Glaceon, Dig!" May shouted quickly. Glaceon burrowed into the ground quickly, Seviper crashing into the surface and blinking in confusion. It looked around frantically, wondering where its opponent had got to.

"Carnivine, Bullet Seed!" James ordered. Carnivine zoned in on Psyduck, seeds raining from its mouth. Psyduck started running back and forth in a panic as the projectiles furiously rained down on him.

"Psyduck, hold yourself together." Misty clenched her fists. Psyduck wasn't one of the best fighters, but still it would send itself out into battle when she had really intended to send out a different Pokemon altogether. When she was doing the gym battles, she was careful to keep Psyduck's pokeball away from the battling stage. "Try and use your Scratch attack."

Psyduck turned and ran at Carnivine, raising its arm to swipe at the grass type. Its foot bumped into a rock and it cried out in alarm, crashing face first to the ground. Misty groaned and put her hands over her face in shame.

"Seviper, chase that Pokemon down the hole," Jessie ordered. Seviper caught sight of the hole and jumped down it. May gasped and quickly requested for Glaceon to emerge. It popped out from another area, Seviper's fangs latched into its tail.

"Glaceon, try running toward that tree and using it to shake off Seviper," May suggested. Glaceon started running, a pained expression on its face as Seviper's fangs continued to sink deeper.

"So that Psyduck is still useless?" James chuckled in amusement. "Carnivine, use Wrap and give it a good Bite to finish it off."

Psyduck flailed around as Carnivine's long limbs suddenly wrapped around its body, squeezing it tightly. The Pokemon's face screwed up in pain as Carnivine's fangs sank down onto the head and it reached up with its arms, as if to will the pain away.

"Psyduck, hold on!" Misty cried urgently, watching nervously. At that moment, Glaceon had reached the tree and whirled around, slamming Seviper's body into it. The snake came loose, falling to the ground.

"Alright, Glaceon!" May exclaimed, raising her fists happily. "Now use your Ice Beam attack on it!"

Seviper shook its head, trying to regain its senses. It turned its head to see an Ice Beam firing toward it. Jessie exclaimed in shock as her Pokemon fell over, half frozen by Glaceon's powerful attack.

"Psy..." Psyduck moaned in pain, Carnivine still biting down on its head. Its headache was starting to get much worse as a result. Misty watched on intently, waiting for that moment when she could tell it to attack. Eventually, she decided that it was ready to make its move.

"Okay, Psyduck, try and use your Confusion now!" Misty called out.

Psyduck's eyes began to glow an intense shade of blue. Carnivine seized up, its grip on Psyduck going limp. James watched on in shock as Carnivine was elevated into the sky, unable to resist the psychic power's grasp that held it tightly. It was then slammed into the ground repeatedly with incredible force. Psyduck did not stop attacking until Carnivine had fallen unconscious, then the Confusion attack ceased.

"Alright! Well done, Psyduck!" Misty cheered, as Psyduck happily ran up to her.

Jessie and James recalled their respective Pokemon in frustration, knowing when they were beaten. May and Misty recalled theirs as well, thanking them for a job well done.

"Now that we're done with the fighting, we should try talking instead," Brock said, getting to his feet. "We would really like to talk to you two, so please don't try and run away."

"Huh? You want to talk to us? The nerve of it," Meowth growled. "After hearing you twerps talk about the boss and looking for our secret base, you expect us to stay here and chat? We could very well go and warn Giovanni right now that some twerps are planning on breaking and entering."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped off the table and approached Meowth with angry eyes, cheeks sparking in an obvious threat. "Pika. Pi pikachu pi." The sparks increased in volume.

"Whoah, calm down." Meowth backed away, startled by Pikachu's warning. He had no desire to get attacked by an angry electric mouse either. Jessie and James cringed, realising that Pikachu wouldn't let them get away easily if they tried to do anything. Even without his trainer around, Pikachu could still attack them.

"Well, what is it?" Jessie asked. "How do you twerps even know about the boss? He likes to keep his true identity a secret from outsiders."

"If you people know, then it could be bad for him," James added. "He would have a reputation as a criminal and the leader of Team Rocket. His identity is only known to the people working inside Team Rocket."

"We'll ask the questions first," Brock said firmly. "Were you the ones who called the press on Valencia Island about the Pokemon? You know, those people who decided it would be a good idea to broadcast the news about an powerful and unique Pokemon on television and even interview Ash, pointing him out as the very person who caught it?"

"If it hadn't been for the news of that Pokemon getting out, Team Rocket wouldn't have targeted Ash," May added. "That anonymous caller they mentioned sure seemed to know a lot of details, strangely enough."

Jessie, James and Meowth took a step back in unison, looking equally guilty and nervous as the finger of blame was pointed at them. "Alright, alright!" Meowth burst out. "So maybe we did make that call! Please don't hurt me!" He threw his paws over his head and cringed.

"Pikachu, don't," May said quickly as it appeared that Pikachu was about to do the exact opposite of what Meowth had asked. Pikachu stopped and sighed in disappointment. "Why would you go and do such a thing?"

"Why would you think it was a good idea for the world to know about a really dangerous Pokemon anyway?" Misty shouted angrily. "That's got to be one of the dumbest things that you guys have ever done."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea," James protested, turning to look at Jessie. "It was your idea, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, well, I wanted the world to know what an evil woman that Professor was. She nearly ruined my face and almost shot Meowth for that matter. We could all have ended up being shot too. I thought I'd get my own back by tarnishing her reputation, even if she was already dead," Jessie said huffily. "So that's why I wanted to do it. Also, don't people deserve to know about a unique Pokemon?"

"Of course, if Giovanni got his hands on it, then that would mean a big bonus for Team Rocket too, wouldn't it?" Meowth grinned. "We would rise to glory and our name would be known all over the world. People would cower in-" His voice was broken off as James's foot pressed on his head.

"Meowth, I'm pretty sure you are the only one who thinks something like that is actually a good idea," James said doubtfully. "You saw how dangerous and evil it was, didn't you? I don't think the leader of an evil gang will want it to do any differently."

"Yeah, really. The thought of the boss having such a freaky and dangerous Pokemon like that is kind of scary," Jessie sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Can't you just stick to those weird fantasies of yours?"

"So I'm the only one who thinks it's a good idea?" Meowth hung his head. "I guess you're right, but Giovanni would certainly see it as a good thing." He shrugged and looked up at the trio who were watching them silently. "So, where's the twerp boy anyway?"

"We're still asking the questions here," Misty said. "So, you really weren't doing it for Giovanni, then? What, did you think that nobody in Team Rocket would be watching the news?"

"If you really thought that Team Rocket wouldn't learn about it from the news, you were wrong," May cut in. "Because your boss learned about that unique Pokemon, he decided to try and get it for himself. Those people on the news even interviewed Ash. Everyone watching TV knew who had caught that Pokemon."

"If we can't even capture Pikachu after three years, do you really think anybody would be able to capture a Pokemon like that?" James asked. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"So Giovanni is trying to get that Pokemon. Why would he even want a crazy Pokemon that wants humans dead?" Jessie frowned. "I think having a Pokemon that wanted to kill you and everyone around you would be pretty dangerous."

"He's doing a pretty good job so far," Brock spoke. "Kidnapping Ash's mother to try and coerce him for one thing. Then there's also the fact that your boss is his own father. Imagine how he felt when he found that out from Giovanni himself."

The Team Rocket trio stared at him blankly, registering what he had just said. James's mouth creased into a smile and he burst out laughing.

"That's a good one!" James gasped out. "The boss being the twerp's father? What is it, April Fool's Day today?" Jessie and Meowth joined in on his laughter, not believing Brock for a second.

"Okay, fine, believe what you want," May grumbled, looking annoyed. They really didn't want to spend all day arguing with Team Rocket. "But the problem is, Ash wouldn't let go of the Pokemon."

"Well, duh." Jessie rolled her eyes. "Tell us something we don't know."

"Will you guys be quiet?" Misty yelled. "We're trying to explain things so just listen to us already!" Jessie and James glared at her, but they grudgingly kept their mouths shut.

"Ash had two options if he wanted his mother released," Brock told them. "Give Giovanni the Pokemon or join Team Rocket."

"Uh... is that thing about the twerp being his son the truth?" Meowth asked uncertainly.

"Pi! Pikapi kachu pikapika!" Pikachu exclaimed impatiently.

"Well, Pikachu says it's the truth," Meowth translated. "Honestly, I can't see why they would lie about the twerp being the boss's son. That would be a pretty weird lie."

"I guess, but it's still just... weird," James said, shaking his head in confusion. "It's really ironic."

"If only we'd been there," Jessie muttered wryly. "I would have loved to see the look on the twerp's face when he found out."

"Are you even listening?" Misty asked in a dangerous tone, sounding as if she was about to snap at any given second and unleash her fury on Team Rocket.

"So, Giovanni wanted the twerp to hand the Pokemon over or join Team Rocket? And he even kidnapped his mom? Wow, the boss is crazy." James raised an eyebrow. "So, what did the twerp do?"

"At the moment, we haven't really confirmed it," May said quietly. "But it's very likely Ash chose to join them. That's why we are looking for the base, to see if he's there, and try and get him to come back home. His mother's already been let go, so he must have done one of the two."

"We don't think he just gave your boss the Pokemon either," Brock added. "Since we're pretty sure he was planning to hold onto it."

"Pikapi pikachu chu," Pikachu spoke sadly.

"Eh? The twerp ran away?" Meowth stared at Pikachu in shock. "Without you? I guess this is pretty serious after all. No wonder you guys are actually looking for the base."

"You don't seriously think they will let you just walk into the base, do you?" Jessie asked in disbelief. "There would be a lot of risk involved in doing that."

"We don't care," Misty said flatly. "Ash needs our help. He's only there because he was forced into Team Rocket and we've got to save him before something happens to him. So, are you still planning to stop us from finding the base? As long as we still have the chance to save Ash, we're not giving up."

"This is pretty much your fault too, you know." May crossed her arms, giving Team Rocket a haughty look. "If you hadn't told the press, your boss wouldn't have been going after such a dangerous Pokemon, Ash's mom wouldn't have been kidnapped and he wouldn't have been forced into this situation."

"It does look like we've created a big mess," James said, looking remorseful. "We didn't want to cause too much trouble for the twerp. Hey, Jessie, should we help them out?"

"Well, if they are planning to do something stupid like walking into Team Rocket's building, they must need the help," Jessie said bitingly. "Eh, why not? You kids are so desperate to save that twerp, we'll do whatever we can. Since we are Team Rocket members, I'm sure there's something we can do."

"Eh? You want to help us?" Brock asked in surprise. "We just didn't want you to go telling your boss about us. Why would you go so far?"

"It's no fun stealing Pikachu if his trainer isn't around to try and stop us." Meowth winked. "So we'd just like to help in any way we can as long it doesn't mean us losing our jobs."

"That would be great." Misty smiled in relief. It would be much better to have them helping instead of ratting them out and for that, she was glad.

"Yeah. Thanks for helping us out again," May said brightly.

"I'll just pack everything up and then we can get going," Brock said.

A few minutes later, the group were walking around the outskirts of Viridian City toward a less populated area where the base was located. Team Rocket's base was located somewhere quiet and isolated so that they wouldn't attract too much attention. Soon enough, they came around a winding path that led them toward a large building in the distance. Pikachu let out a cry as he saw it.

"Oh, Pikachu? You recognise it?" Misty glanced up at the yellow Pokemon who sat atop her shoulder. "So that's definitely Team Rocket's base then."

"When was Pikachu ever at the base?" Meowth asked in surprise.

"Ash went there to confront your boss," May explained. "We weren't there, but he had Pikachu with him. Thanks to that, Pikachu was able to tell us where Ash was."

"Ash." Misty stared at the building, clenching her fists and looking determined. "We're coming. Please wait for us."

"Now that we're here, we should talk about how we're going to get you in," James said, coming to a stop. "If we simply disguised you, it should work."

"We'll just have you twerps wear some spare uniforms," Jessie added. "We might not be able to find some in the girls' size but you'll just have to deal with it."

"Hmm, a bunch of people walking together might be a little suspicious," May said thoughtfully. "But it would be much safer. People might not realise we're intruders straight away."

"So, where are the uniforms?" Misty asked.

"I were thinking we'd go and see if we could get some from inside," Jessie suggested.

"So you'll just have to wait outside while we get them," James said. "We aren't going to tell anyone what you're up to, so don't worry."

"It doesn't sound like you really thought your idea through," Brock commented.

"And do you have any better ideas?" Meowth snapped. Brock hesitated, unable to come up with anything in response. "Exactly. So we'll go get some uniforms and come right back. You twerps stay put and don't do anything while we're gone."

May, Misty and Brock watched as Team Rocket headed toward the base. They really had no choice but to wait and it wasn't likely Jessie, James and Meowth would notify the boss after showing them the way to the base, so they could trust them for the time being. Time slowly passed, Misty starting to look more irritable with every minute that went by, and finally the three Rockets emerged from the building, hurrying toward them.

"We found a bundle of spares in one of the closets," James said, holding up an armful of clean, white uniforms. "Nobody even noticed us taking them either."

"Great." Misty took one of the two female uniforms, May receiving the other. "This reminds me of the time we dressed up as Team Rocket and made fun of their motto," she said, chuckling to herself.

"Oh yes, when we met Duplica. That was quite a lot of fun." Brock grinned, holding the uniform. He glanced at Jessie and James. "Uh, no offense meant."

May, Misty and Brock quickly put on the uniforms over their clothes. They were lacking the boots and gloves, they realised, but they would just have to hope that nobody noticed. There had been enough time wasted already and sending back Team Rocket over minor details would only waste even more time.

The group walked toward the building together. The Rocket grunts on guard duty did not even look up as they approached the entrance. May held her breath, waiting for something to go wrong at the last second, but nothing happened. Misty clenched her fists in nervousness as she watched the door open. The five people, Meowth and Pikachu stepped into the building. May let out an audible sigh of relief.

"Don't relax just yet, May," Brock cautioned as he heard her sighing. "The hard part is still yet to come."

"Yeah, I know, but just seeing those guards in front of the building made me really nervous." May looked around curiously at her surroundings. "It actually feels pretty exciting to be sneaking inside an evil gang's hideout."

"Now where do we go?" Misty asked, looking at Jessie, James and Meowth.

"I don't don't think any of us have a clue where we're supposed to go," James admitted. "We haven't come here very often because we're usually too busy going around regions trying to capture Pikachu."

"When we came back here, it was actually the first time since before the twerp went to Sinnoh," Jessie said, sounding apologetic. "Anyway, I don't have any idea where they would put the twerp either. He could be walking around somewhere or... honestly, I don't know."

"Eh, the building isn't that big. We'll find him if we keep looking." Meowth assured them. "Let's hurry up and look for him."

The walk through the Team Rocket building was a fairly nerve wracking experience. Even Jessie and James were nervous, knowing they would get into hot water for deliberately leading intruders to the base and letting them infiltrate it. Every glance a Rocket sent their way would cause at least one of them to get nervous, expecting an angry shout any second as the Rocket realised there was something wrong. However, luck was apparently on their side, as any time someone looked at them, they would merely look away again.

"In case you couldn't tell, people wearing white uniform get very little attention," Jessie whispered, as a few Team Rocket agents walked past them. "We're pretty low ranking so they don't care about us."

"If we'd got you the black uniforms, I'm sure they would be checking you out more closely," James said. "But we wouldn't have done that anyway. You would look really out of place walking with us."

"I wonder if we'll ever get a promotion," Meowth muttered. "I'm tired of us getting ignored and looked down on all the time."

"So you guys can just walk around, do whatever you like and they don't care?" May looked surprised at that. "It's good for us, but it must feel like you guys get ignored. Nobody's even noticed we aren't wearing the whole uniform."

"Yeah, and you'd think you would stand out wearing that," Misty added, glancing at May's green bandana. "Why didn't you just take it off?" May grinned sheepishly. She was quite attached to it after all.

The search continued, the group progressing through the next two floors without any disturbance. When they found themselves in a large corridor with several Team Rocket members walking around, Pikachu suddenly pricked his ears up and tensed. "Pi?"

"Pikachu?" Misty looked up. "Is something the matter?"

Pikachu was gazing straight ahead at a short figure clad in the black uniform of Team Rocket, cap pushed low over his eyes. He was half leaning against the wall, looking rather lost as Team Rocket grunts surged past him. Pikachu could tell who he was immediately. "Pikapi!" he cried, leaping off Misty's shoulder and hurtling through the corridor.

"Pikachu, wait!" Misty cried, pursuing the frantic Pokemon. May and Brock hurried after her. Jessie, James and Meowth followed as well, at a much slower pace, while keeping their distance. They were simply being more cautious and weren't that excited about seeing him again.

"Huh?" Ashton was startled as a Pikachu came out of nowhere and leaped at him. He grabbed him with his hands and held him out at arm's length, staring at the unfamiliar electric mouse. "A Pokemon?"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu's excitement faded as he saw the confusion in his trainer's brown eyes. Why was he being held like this as well? "Chu?"

"Ash!" Misty exclaimed a little too loudly as she approached him. "Thank goodness you're okay..." Her voice faltered and she struggled to compose herself. Seeing Ash again after spending so long worrying about him was such a relief, she felt like she was going to cry in sheer happiness.

"Did you really think you could hide from us, Ash?" May folded her arms, smiling smugly at him. "There's no way we would just let you go off on your own."

"Ash... that's short for Ashton, right? Then... you know who I am?" Ashton asked. His gaze drifted back to Pikachu. "Does this Pokemon belong to one of you?"

"What?" Brock exclaimed, recoiling in surprise. May and Misty gasped, stunned by his unexpected questions. They all knew this wasn't a joke. The look on his face and the uncertainty in his voice told them so.

"Jeez, look at the twerp," Jessie muttered nearby. "Wearing the uniform of the higher ranks. I guess he really is the boss's son then. How unfair is that? Why does the twerp get a better uniform?"

"He's not really a Rocket either!" Meowth snapped. "This is just some weird game the boss is playing and we all know the twerp would never really join the likes of us. He shouldn't even be getting a uniform."

"Now that we're here, I don't know what we should do," James said. "If we're caught, uh, helping out the twerp, the boss could get mad at us. Would it be okay if we just left now without them?"

"They should be able to remember the way we came through the base. All they have to do is take the lift and then leave." Jessie shrugged. "I'm not so keen on risking us getting fired either. Why don't we head to the canteen? I'm starved."

Meowth had fallen silent, watching curiously as the uniform wearing twerp stared blankly at his friends, still holding Pikachu out like he was a bomb. The other twerps seemed to be surprised about something. However, before he could try to listen to them, Jessie and James walked away. Meowth turned and hurried after them.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Misty exclaimed, resisting the sudden urge to grab Ash by his shirt and shake him about. "This is a joke, right? If it is, it isn't very funny." But she knew it had to be true. Ash wouldn't pretend to not know Pikachu.

"How could he lose his memory?" May looked between Misty and Brock with a horrified look on her face. "Ash, you've got to remember at least something. Don't you know who we are?"

"You don't know anything?" Brock asked anxiously. "Your friends, family, Pokemon? Nothing at all?"

"Uh... well... I have a Pokemon. It's called Justice and it talks to me," Ashton replied, sounding confused. He looked at Pikachu again, a strange feeling stirring in his gut. For some reason, he felt comforted by his presence, but he didn't understand why.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu asked in a sad voice, looking upset. Ash didn't even remember him, or anybody else. What had happened to him for him to forget everything and everyone he considered important?

"Well, isn't this a happy little gathering?" A female voice asked from close by. May, Misty and Brock whirled around to see Domino, arms folded and staring at them with a smirk on her face. "When I saw two very familar faces on the security camera, I knew there was trouble. Where do I know you?" She looked at Brock, then May. "Oh, yes, from a certain news report that aired a while ago."

"Oh no." May clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. They had been there when Ash was being interviewed after all, right in front of the camera.

"We didn't think about that," Brock said, looking troubled.

"Well done, you guys," Misty said sarcastically. She wasn't going to put any blame on herself considering she hadn't even been there in the first place. "Well freaking done."

"I'm sure you've realised by now that the boy is lacking his memory. Now, we have nothing to do with that. It was probably that freak Pokemon of his. However, the boss won't be happy when he realises that you kids managed to find his son," Domino said, holding up a transceiver radio. "I'll just invite him down here now." With her other hand, she held up a black tulip and flung it through the air.

The three cried out in surprise as the tulip hit the ground and crackled with electricity that almost hit them. They looked at Domino in horror as she coldly pushed a button on the unit.

"Boss, we have some intruders who are bothering your son on the fifth floor. Come immediately so that they can be dealt with." Domino then pocketed the two-way radio and pulled out another tulip, her mouth twitching. "Now, don't be shy and run away. I'm sure the boss would be just delighted to meet his son's friends."

Ashton could only stare incomprehensibly, not understanding what was going on, as Domino smiled at the three intruders. May and Misty clutched each other, frozen in fear as they faced the inevitable fact they were caught. Brock realised at that point that Jessie, James and Meowth were gone, but he didn't look for them, as he stared ahead at Domino with a worried look.

Pikachu wriggled from his trainer's grip and leaped onto his chest, shivering nervously. The teen's natural instinct was to wrap his arms around Pikachu, comforting him. This felt oddly familiar, but it wasn't enough to restore even the faintest memory.

Giovanni rode down on the elevator a few minutes later with some agents he had called to assist him, steadily approaching the fifth floor where he would come and deal with the intruders Domino had told him about. If they were friends of Ash who had come sneaking in and interfering in their business, he wouldn't go easy on them.


	16. Chapter 16

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

This chapter was a lot of fun to write for sure. It's just about to get exciting again.

* * *

"I may have lost in the Sinnoh League, just like I lost in Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, but I'll still never give up on my dream. One day, I'll become a great Pokemon Master, with Pikachu at my side," Ash said dreamily, gazing into the distance thoughtfully. "I love to travel, seeing new Pokemon and making new friends. It's a great experience. I want to go to the next region too and make even more friends." Ash stopped, looking at the group of Pokemon. They were watching him intently, as if expecting more, but he had reached the end of his story. It was strange, he had been talking for so long, but he wasn't even thirsty or tired.

"I wish we could have become friends," Ash said quietly, his eyes misting over. "When you were alive... I wish I could have helped you. We should have met under different circumstances, not like this. I had no idea what that woman was like. If I had only known what she was doing at the time, I would have stopped it straight away." He swallowed heavily. "I couldn't have known. She even protected a Raticate from a Stun Spore. You wouldn't think that kind of person was hurting Pokemon. She was too good at deception."

"She was." Murmurs rose from the crowd. "Deceptive. We trusted her. She betrayed us. How could we have known she would kill us? Nobody helped us. They didn't know. We died at her hands."

"I wish you were alive more than anything," Ash said furiously, his fist hitting the ground. "Why did she have to do something like this? You were all innocent. No Pokemon deserves to be treated in such a way!" A tear streaked down his cheek. "I saw the pain you all went through and I felt it too. Your pain is my pain. I know what you're going through. But I don't hate humans like you do. There are people like me who love their Pokemon and would do anything for them. Pokemon are their companions. They would never think of doing what that Professor did."

"The boy cares about Pokemon," the Nuzleaf said. "There must be other humans like him."

"Not all humans are bad, are they?" Beedrill asked. "Were we wrong to despise them all so?"

"I like this human. He's done so much to protect his Pokemon... if only we had met someone like him instead of the evil one," said the Kingdra.

Ash looked up, listening to their muttered conversations. Suddenly, they seemed to have warmed up to him after he had told them his story so far. He had managed to make them understand that there were humans who cared after all. "Then..." Ash smiled warmly, his brown eyes shimmering with emotion. "For as long as we are together, do you want to be my friends too?" He held out a hand, reaching for them. "I want to be friends with all of you."

A long silence followed as the Pokemon looked back at him, none of them saying anything. Then they moved toward him, spreading out until they had surrounded him and came even closer. Ash looked around, his smile widening. Clearly, they now wished to be his friends. At last he had managed to win their hearts over.

"I'm glad," Ash whispered, reaching out to rub the Swinub's head as it nudged his leg. He saw at that moment that the gravestones had vanished. Not just that, but the ground was suddenly covered in grass and the trees were alive. The sky above was clear and bright. Ash was about to ask what was happening, but remembered he was only in his mind after all. Anything could happen.

"Thank you, Ash. You've helped us to remember what our lives were like before we died," Hoothoot spoke. "It was a time when we were happy and we didn't mind humans in the least. Now that we remember it, we are no longer lost in our sadness and anger." The other Pokemon nodded in agreement.

* * *

Giovanni stepped out of the elevator, flanked by his agents, and they marched down the hallway toward Domino. She turned at the sound of heavy footsteps, catching sight of her boss, and stepped away to reveal three very nervous looking young people, as well as Ashton still holding Pikachu and wondering what the commotion was all about.

"What is this?" Giovanni put his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowing. He looked first at the tall boy with the squinty eyes, then the two younger girls, the redhead and the brunette. The Team Rocket leader realised that the brunette and the boy were familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen them before. In the news report, all of his attention had been focused on Ash after all. "Are you bothering my son? Domino, these people aren't Team Rocket members, are they?"

"No, I can assure you they aren't. They must have got the uniforms from somewhere," Domino guessed. She could have sworn she remembered seeing more people on the cameras when spotting the familiar intruders but guessed she must have just been mistaken."I am quite sure they know him from somewhere."

"Ash is our friend!" Misty burst out, clenching her fists furiously as she glared at Giovanni. "You are the Team Rocket leader? You've got a lot of nerve kidnapping his mom and forcing him into joining this evil team!"

"Misty!" Brock cried out, shocked by her sudden outburst. "Don't go making the situation any worse than it already is."

"What's going to happen to us?" May looked at the group of Team Rocket members standing behind Giovanni, a chill of fear running down her back. There was something deeply unnerving about the situation and it gave her an incredibly bad feeling that something was about to happen. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Stop!" Ashton burst out suddenly. He didn't remember anything about these people who had spoken to him, but he knew they were good people. They didn't deserve to be getting into trouble just for speaking to him and he didn't want to be the cause of misery for anyone. "They weren't doing anything to me. I don't even remember who they are." His voice trailed off as Giovanni gave him a sharp look and he shrank back, intimidated by the glare.

"Pikachupi. Pikachu... pika..." Pikachu clung tightly to his trainer with an upset expression, understanding quite well just how bad the situation had got.

"I don't know how you interfering brats managed to find him, but his location in Team Rocket is to be a secret for the time being." Giovanni's face darkened. "Nobody outside Team Rocket is to know where he is. Of course, in order to protect this secret, that means that you will have to be dealt with."

"You don't mean..." Misty broke off in midsentence, letting out a quiet whimper of shock. May took in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. Brock was about to suggest they quickly send out their Pokemon and fight then somehow get away, but when he noticed that the other Rockets had holstered weapons, he immediately knew it wouldn't work. None of the Pokemon they had would be any good against firearms and they would only end up fatally injured.

"Seize them," Giovanni ordered his men. They moved immediately, surging forward and taking hold of Misty, May and Brock. "Take them to the execution room."

"No!" Misty wailed as she was pulled away, tears pooling up in her eyes. "You can't do that to us!" She struggled desperately, but the two men holding her were too strong. It was the same for May and Brock. There was no escape for any of them. Ashton watched on, his mouth hanging open as he watched them be dragged away.

"Pika!" Pikachu screamed. The word execution didn't sound good in the least. "Pikapi, pikachu!" he cried, as if begging Ash to do something to save them.

"Come along." Domino took hold of Ashton's shoulders and gently pushed him forward. "You can watch. We'll show you how Team Rocket deals with people who have learned too much."

"That's a good idea, Domino. The boy needs to see our cruel side if he is to really learn about Team Rocket." Giovanni chuckled. He walked ahead of them after his troop, the other two following him.

The execution room was on the next floor. After a long walk through several hallways, they reached a wide set of doors at the end which opened to reveal a large room. There were no people in here and it appeared to serve no purpose. Only those who knew of the room's purpose would understand why there was a large stack of cleaning equipment placed to one side of it.

"Please don't do this!" May begged as she was pushed against a wall, along with Misty and Brock. "We only wanted to find Ash... we weren't going to do anything." Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the stony faced grunts.

"Do you really think you can get away with this?" Brock asked furiously. "Don't you think someone would be bound to notice we were missing?"

"We always make sure to cover up loose ends," Giovanni told him. "When the bodies are found, they are nowhere near our base. This room is cleaned after every execution, so even if the police were to come and search this building, they would find no clues. People would assume you three just ran afoul of some lunatic gunman or something like that."

"You are a horrible person!" Misty exclaimed, gritting her teeth angrily. "I can't believe a monster like you is Ash's father. You are nothing like him."

"Well, you are pretty mouthy for someone who is about to die," Domino observed. "You should start saying your prayers now instead of spending your last moments shouting at our leader." She glanced at Ashton. "Watch carefully now. Why are you holding onto that filthy rat anyway?"

Ashton didn't answer. He trembled as he held Pikachu tightly, seeking comfort from his warm presence. Something terrible was going to happen to those people and it was because they had come looking for him. He was responsible for it and it made him feel ill.

"Ash..." Justice spoke in his mind. "We have been calmed now, thanks to your words, and we are no longer going to seek revenge on humankind. There are people like you who don't deserve that treatment. I want to really help you now, so I will undo the sealing of your memories. Remember who you are."

At that moment, the boy winced and clutched his forehead. For some reason, his head was throbbing violently. His entire life was flashing before his eyes as his memory was restored right up to the point when it had been erased. He remembered his time so far in Team Rocket, as well as the time spent talking to the Pokemon that formed Justice. It was confusing, but somehow it worked.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu whimpered, seeing his agonised expression.

"Ash!" Misty cried out desperately. If she was going to die right here, right now... then what should she say? So many possibilities were running through her mind. There were so many things that she wanted to tell him if this was the last time they would ever be together.

"I don't want to die..." May whimpered as the Team Rocket agents began pulling out their weapons. She pressed closer to Brock, her arms reaching for Misty. "We're going to die, aren't we?" she choked out.

"There's no way we'll get out of this," Brock said numbly, putting his arms around May and Misty as they huddled together in a frightened embrace. "The only thing that would help now is a miracle and I don't think that's going to happen."

The pain was subsiding now. Ash groaned quietly and opened his eyes, looking directly at Pikachu's face. His yellow fur was stained with streaks of tears and his eyes were plainly wet. Ash quietly murmured his name under his breath, delighted to be reunited with his best friend. Pikachu heard the whisper and saw the sudden recognition in his eyes. His ears perked up hopefully.

Ash looked up to see the room full of Team Rocket agents, as well as Misty, May and Brock huddled together against the wall. They were throwing pained glances at him, silently begging him to help them somehow. He took in a sharp intake of breath as the Team Rocket agents raised their weapons, fully understanding what was happening. They were actually planning to execute his friends right before his eyes.

"No!" Ash screamed, running forward as fast as he possibly could. He quickly moved Pikachu to his right shoulder and leaped in front of Misty, May and Brock, spreading out his arms as if his body alone could save them from being shot. Ash stared defiantly at the Team Rocket agents, who lowered their weapons in surprise.

"What is the meaning of this?" Giovanni clenched a fist furiously. "These people are to be exterminated for infiltrating our base and learning too much for their own good, so don't go interfering, Ashton!"

"It's Ash." He hated it when anybody called him by his full name and nobody was allowed to do so. The displeased frown on his face said it all. "I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and my aim to is become a Pokemon Master. More importantly... I won't allow anybody to harm the people who are important to me!"

"What is this?" Domino placed her hands on her hips, a slender eyebrow raised in surprise. "Did the brat boy actually have his memory after all?"

"No, that couldn't be possible!" Giovanni exclaimed. "There's no way the boy could be such a great actor. Something must have happened to make him remember." He tutted and shook his head, smirking. "What do you think you can do, boy? Do you really think you can prevent us from disposing of your friends? Remember, you joined Team Rocket of your own volition. If you betray us, your punishment will be severe."

"I don't care what happens to me," Ash said numbly as he took a step back, moving closer to May, Misty and Brock. They stared at his back in shock, wondering how he could so suddenly have remembered them after all. Pikachu clung to Ash's shoulder, trembling nervously. "I don't want anything to happen to my friends. The reason I ran away... it was to protect them."

"Ash," Justice spoke telepathically in an urgent sounding voice. "Release me from the GS Ball, quickly. I should be able to help. Allow me to make up for everything that I have done for you."

"Justice," Ash murmured, glancing down. He had calmed the Pokemon who were killed by Professor Ivy and Justice was the same. It wasn't bitter and swearing vengeance on humankind anymore. It was willing to help him and he knew he could trust it now. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the GS Ball. "Justice, come out!"

"That's the Pokemon Professor Ivy created?" Misty stared up at the Pokemon hovering in the air. May and Brock looked at it as well, with perplexed expressions. They didn't understand why Ash would think it a good idea to send out Justice, especially at a time like this.

"So, you intend to betray Team Rocket after all?" Giovanni asked, growing even more furious. His face was like thunder. "Traitors, too, are punished with death. I don't care if you are my son. It looks like I will be taking that Pokemon by force instead. Men, fire!"

Domino cringed and took a small step back, stunned by her boss's sudden fury. He seemed to have completely lost his temper at this point, something that even she had rarely seen before. The Team Rocket agents acted on their boss's orders, raising their rifles and taking aim.

Ash was convinced he was going to die, along with his friends, in that very instant. He pulled Pikachu into a tight embrace and turned his back to the guns that were about to take them down. The four terrified Pokemon trainers huddled together, squeezing their eyes shut in pure fear so that they wouldn't have to see what happened next.

The sound of several guns going off ricocheted throughout the room. Deadly bullets burst forth, streaking through the air toward their vulnerable targets. They all cried out in unison, Pikachu as well, expecting to feel hot lead biting into their bodies at any second. A deathly silence followed as the screams faded away.

Brock was the first to sneak a look and he gasped at what he saw. "Everyone, it's okay. Look." Misty, May and Ash weakly opened their eyes and turned to look in front of them. Bullets lay scattered on the floor a few feet away, in front of a shimmering barrier that had protected them from harm.

"Where did the barrier come from?" May whispered in shock.

"It came from Justice," Ash replied. They looked up at the Pokemon hovering in mid-air, who was concentrating on keeping the barrier intact. "It saved us. Because I was able to befriend it at last, it finally understands that not all human beings are bad people."

"That's amazing," Brock said, looking astonished. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Long story, I'll explain later, but we've got more important things to worry about right now," Ash said grimly, looking at Team Rocket. "What should we do now?"

"These people want us dead," Misty said shakily. "I don't think we have a lot of options."

"What is this nonsense?" Giovanni yelled, shaking a fist. His men looked at him helplessly. "The thing set up some barrier to protect them all? It really is an incredibly powerful Pokemon after all. This is why Team Rocket should have it."

"Ash..." Justice spoke, looking down at the group. "I want to make it up to you. Everything that I did... you deserved none of it, and I am sorry for that. With my hearts no longer in turmoil, I can rest peacefully. Everyone... be safe. Farewell."

A purple light surrounded Ash, Pikachu, Brock, Misty and May. Team Rocket watched on in shock as they suddenly disappeared from sight. The barrier faded away and Justice lowered itself into their line of sight.

"Team Rocket, you are bad humans, but I will give you the chance to escape. I have learned to be compassionate. Flee while you still can and don't come after me anymore because I will have left this world," Justice said. "It is time for us to finally rest in peace."

"What?" Giovanni tensed as an aura of pure white power appeared around the Pokemon's body. It began to slowly grow in size. "Is it going to self-destruct?"

"Boss, we should run!" Domino cried out in a panicked voice. "Hurry!"

"Everyone, retreat," Giovanni commanded. Giovanni, Domino and the other Team Rocket agents turned and hurried out, leaving the room completely empty save for the Pokemon at the center of the growing light that would engulf the room entirely before its final moments.

* * *

Ash, Misty, Brock and May were standing half a mile away from the base, safely outside. They stared in the direction where the base lay, a shocked silence hanging over the group. A miracle had happened after all. Whatever Justice was about to do inside, they weren't sure, but they were just happy to not be staring death in the face.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu grinned and snuggled against Ash's chest, a content expression on his face.

"Pikachu." Ash hugged him tightly and sighed happily. "I missed you so much. It's great to see you again. I am never going to leave you ever again if I can help it."

"Ash." Ash turned to see Misty hanging her head and clenching her fists. He winced, sensing that something not pleasant was about to come his way. "You moron!" Misty yelled furiously. "I left the gym in my sisters' care, came all the way over to Pallet Town, and you were already gone! Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She fell silent and sniffed. "I was so scared back there..."

"We really thought we were about to die then." May shuddered, trying to forget the sight of all those guns pointed in her direction. "But then you saved us, Ash. If it wasn't for you, we'd be dead. Thank you for being there for us." She smiled gratefully.

"If you hadn't come looking for me, then none of that would have happened!" Ash exclaimed. "You deliberately went putting yourselves into danger just for me. Was it really worth the risk?"

"Of course. You are our dear friend and you are important to us," May replied. "All we wanted was to get you to come back home and you would be safe. We wanted to help you in any way we could. Your mom is safe now, you know, she's in Pallet Town and she's waiting for you to return."

"We were actually managing to stay out of trouble until someone recognised us from the news," Brock said. "That ended up being our downfall. But, Ash, we wouldn't give up on you no matter what happened."

"How did you find me anyway?" Ash asked softly, his eyes shimmering with tears. His friends really did care about him. The fact that they had almost died didn't matter, they were just happy that he was safe and sound.

"Pikachu helped us," Misty responded, patting the yellow mouse Pokemon on the head. Pikachu grinned and nodded. "When your mom came back, we tried to think about where you would be now and with Pikachu, we managed to figure it out. He knew where the HQ was and he was there when Giovanni talked to you, so he knew a lot more than we did."

"Look!" Brock suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the base. A massive area of white light was shining at the very place where it was. "I wonder what's happening?"

"It must be Justice," May realised. "It's dealing with Team Rocket for us."

"Justice... it said farewell before it sent us to safety. I wonder what it meant by that?" Ash stared at the light in confusion. "Didn't it also say that it would be able to rest peacefully?" His eyes widened and he quietly gasped. "No... it didn't mean that, did it?"

A loud boom sounded through the air, sending Pidgeys and Spearows fluttering from the nearby trees in alarm. Ash, Misty, Brock and May instinctively ducked at the sound of the terrific explosion. Debris scattered into the air, some of it even flying as far as a few metres in front of them, but nobody was harmed. The ground was still shaking as the sound faded, calming down after a few seconds had passed.

"That was frightening," Misty commented shakily, propping herself up on her elbows and looking around warily. "I guess Justice must have blown the Team Rocket base up."

Ash looked straight ahead at the curling smoke drifting into the air, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Justice... the Pokemon... they are all gone."

"Gone?" Brock echoed. "What Pokemon do you mean, Ash?"

"The Pokemon that were killed and used to create Justice. I actually met them," Ash said quietly. "When my memories were sealed, I remember being somewhere in my mind. I talked to them for a long time, telling them my story and how much I cared for Pokemon. In the end, they became my friends. Even after all that, they are gone."

"They were already gone, Ash," May said gently. "The moment Professor Ivy killed them."

"Yes, but they were living on in Justice." Ash sat up, his eyes brimming with tears. "I finally managed to convince them that there were good people and they could remember what it was like to be happy and to trust humans. Now they are really gone." He took the GS Ball from his pocket and stared at it with a sad expression.

"Ash..." Misty put a hand on his shoulder in an effort to console him. Pikachu jumped into his lap.

"I think the Pokemon really wanted to do that," Brock said. "Even if they were all living on in Justice, it wasn't the same as really living. The dead should be allowed to rest in peace, shouldn't they? In the end, it wanted to make up for what it had done to you and it sacrificed itself for us. Now those Pokemon that Professor Ivy killed really are at rest. You should be happy for them."

"Yeah..." A tear trickled down Ash's cheek and he sniffled. "I was happy to become their friend. I'm glad though that the Pokemon are finally at rest. They didn't deserve to be brutally killed and stitched up into a freak of nature." Ash got to his feet and dropped the GS Ball. "This kind of thing... I don't need it." He raised a foot and stomped it down on the GS Ball with all his strength, shattering it into pieces.

Misty, May and Brock stood as well, looking concernedly at him. Ash turned around and smiled weakly, wiping away his tears. "Well, it looks like I don't have to worry anymore. Team Rocket won't be pursuing something that doesn't exist and I won't be becoming a threat anytime soon."

"Thank goodness for that. I hated knowing that you were suffering and being unable to do anything," May spoke, sounding relieved. "You really shouldn't have bottled it up and run away though. We would have done everything we could to help you. But it's all worked out in the end, so that's just as well."

"Just what happened back there anyway?" Misty asked. "You didn't even remember us, then all of a sudden, you were back to normal. Did you really lose your memory?"

"Of course I did. I'm not that good of an actor," Ash responded. "When I went to Team Rocket, I was so scared, lonely and upset, and Justice wanted to help me. I didn't know at the time it would seal my memory away, but because of that, I was able to speak directly to the spirits of the Pokemon. I told them my story and it was enough that they became my friends. Justice was calmed, so it gave me my memories back and you know what happened after that. Anyway, where did you get those uniforms from?"

"Oh. Jessie, James and Meowth helped us out again," Brock told him. "They took us to the base, gave us the uniforms and showed us around. Though, they disappeared when that woman showed up."

"Huh, really?" Ash turned and looked at the smoke rising from the direction of the base. "I wonder if they made it out alright. Knowing them, they are probably fine." He turned back, seeing Brock, May and Misty quickly discard the Team Rocket uniforms. Unfortunately, he didn't have a change of clothes, so he was stuck in uniform for a while. "Let's hurry back to Pallet Town now. If we're quick, we can make it before it gets dark."

About a mile ahead of them, Jessie, James and Meowth were sprawled out on the ground with dazed expressions on their face. They had just suffered a rather unexpected blasting off and while they were eat at the cafeteria too.

"So, what just happened there?" James moaned, raising his head. "One minute we were just going to pick what we would eat, then we're skyrocketing into the air. It sounded like the base blew up on us."

"I think I can see smoke in the distance." Jessie blinked and shook her head. Yes, she could definitely see gray smoke curling up in the sky. "It's coming from where the base is. I wonder what happened."

"It could have been something to do with the twerps." Meowth sat up, looking pensive. "We were only on the second floor so we were okay, but they were much higher up. You think they got out of it alright?"

Jessie and James looked at each other, stunned at the thought. They had completely forgotten about leading the so called twerps in there before abandoning them once they had found the missing twerp.

"We probably shouldn't have left them alone like that," Jessie said, sounding worried. "Anything could have happened to them. Why did we put our stomachs first?"

"And to think, even when we did, we still didn't get to eat anything." James pouted. "Hey, what if that Pokemon did it? You know, the one the twerp caught in that gold and silver Pokeball thing? It seemed powerful enough."

Suddenly, several motorbikes went whizzing past on the nearby road. Team Rocket yelped in shock and quickly leaped behind a bush. They knew the police when they saw them and it would have been quite unfortunate if Officer Jenny and her team had caught sight of them in their uniforms.

"It looks like they are going to the base," Meowth said, peeking out from behind the bush. "I guess it's because of that huge explosion. So much for it being secret then. Oh well, we have other bases elsewhere, but the boss is going to be in trouble if he's caught."

"Maybe the police could teach him it's not a good idea to go chasing after psychotic Pokemon that want to kill humans," James muttered. "Now, where did we leave the balloon? I'm still hungry and I think we've got some food left in the basket."

"It was somewhere not too far from here." Jessie crept out from behind the bush and looked around cautiously. "I don't think there will be more police coming, so let's hurry and get moving before it's too late."

They returned to the path and started walking in the direction of wherever they had left the balloon. Meowth heard approaching footsteps from behind them and turned. "Hey, I think someone's coming our way." Jessie and James turned as well to see who it was. It couldn't be the police, they had all passed by on motorbikes.

"It's the twerps," James said in a surprised voice as they saw the approaching group. "I guess they got out alright."

"And with the missing twerp too," Jessie observed. "Hey," she said loudly as they came closer. "Mind telling us what happened back there?"

"Yeah, we were going to eat, but then we got blasted off!" Meowth shouted, raising a paw angrily. "Is this how you treat us after we so nicely showed you the way?"

"Team Rocket!" Ash noticed their disheveled state and slowly blinked. "Uh, did that explosion throw you out?"

"It certainly served them right for abandoning us back there," Misty said peevishly, looking annoyed. "You mean you left us there just to go and eat?"

"We just wanted to help you find your twerp friend, not hold your hand the whole time," Jessie said defensively. "Can we help it if eating is more important than watching a happy reunion?"

"Why did the Team Rocket base explode?" James asked. "Did the freaky Pokemon do it?"

"After you left, your boss came along with some of his cronies and they tried to execute us just for finding Ash," May said. "The Pokemon saved us all from death, then it teleported us out and blew up the base."

"The boss tried to have you all killed?" Meowth recoiled in horror. "I can't believe he would do something like that. So, what happened to the Pokemon?"

"It's gone," Brock replied. "Justice sacrificed itself to take down Team Rocket."

"So, our boss went after the Pokemon and in the end, the base was destroyed and the police are probably arresting any survivors right now." Jessie sighed and shook her head. "If we hadn't made that call, this wouldn't have happened. We aren't going to get that promotion anytime soon."

"You guys were the anonymous caller?" Ash frowned, clenching a fist.

"They didn't really do it for Team Rocket though," Misty said quickly, before Ash could consider unleashing Pikachu's wrath on them. "Jessie said it was her idea and it was to get back at Professor Ivy."

"Yeah, really. I was the only one who thought Giovanni getting his hands on it was a good idea," Meowth admitted. "But now I can see it wasn't so good after all. Sorry we almost got you all killed."

"Eh." Ash decided to let it slide. The Team Rocket trio had learned their lesson now, so there didn't seem to be any point in punishing them. "It wasn't like Team Rocket was the only problem I had to deal with. A lot of things have happened, but it's all over now."

"We should keep going," Brock said, realising how much time was passing. "We need to be quick if we're to make it back to Pallet Town before nightfall."

"Take care, twerps," Jessie raised a hand in farewell.

"We'll see you another time," James added, as the three of them took off, resuming their search for the balloon.

"Next time we see them, I'm sure they will be trying to steal Pikachu," May said dryly, as the group watched Team Rocket leave. "Do you think we'll be in trouble when we get back?"

"After ignoring Mrs Ketchum's request to leave it to the police and nearly getting killed? Yeah, but at least Ash is coming back with us, so it will be okay," Misty assured, smiling. "Everybody wanted him to come home safely."

"Alright, let's go!" Ash exclaimed suddenly. "I can't wait to get back home and see everyone." He took off down the path in excitement, May, Misty and Brock hurrying after him.

"It looks like you're definitely back to normal, Ash," Brock commented, noticing how enthusiastic he was. After all Ash had been going through, it was good to see him being his positive, upbeat self.

Meanwhile, as they hurried back to Pallet Town, the Viridian City police were doing a thorough search of the Team Rocket base and arresting all the survivors they found. The explosion didn't appear to have been that serious, as very few bodies were discovered in the vicinity.

Giovanni was practically alone inside a caved in area of the building. The floor had fallen in during the explosion and he had ended up trapped inside this place. Two other people had gone down with him but both were not speaking or even moving as they lay still among the rubble. He blinked, trying to see through the gloom, and exhaled heavily. It was fortunate he had survived such a fall and he hoped that he could soon be rescued.

Had it all been worth it in the end, the Team Rocket leader thought, a wry grin spreading across his face. Chasing after that Pokemon had only led to trouble in the end and now it no longer existed. Their hard work had basically amounted to nothing no thanks to its destructive personality.

Even after something like this, Team Rocket's motives would never change. They would continue to pursue the rare and powerful Pokemon that they so desired, no matter what happened. Even if Giovanni ended up in jail, he knew Team Rocket would not fall so easily. There were other people to carry on his work and they had other bases where they continued their operations. Team Rocket would live on, even if he couldn't be a part of its future.

An hour later, the people in the destroyed room were unearthed as a team of excavators worked hard to clear away the debris of the ruined building. Officer Jenny and one of her partners were already there to apprehend the trapped Team Rocket members before they could even attempt an escape.

"Giovanni, former leader of the Viridian City Gym, I presume?" Officer Jenny walked over, holding up some handcuffs. "There have been rumours of you having dealings with Team Rocket in the past. This is all the proof we need to put you under arrest at last. I'm sure there are witnesses will be willing to testify with you behind bars if needed."

Giovanni didn't even resist as Officer Jenny put on the handcuffs. There was nothing he could do now, especially not against the might of the police force. The other Team Rocket members, who had only been knocked unconscious in that fall, were cuffed as well, then led out of the building to join the other Team Rocket members the police had rounded up. As he joined his employees, he searched the crowd for that familiar white hat worn upon blonde curls.

Domino was not there. Had she escaped or met a tragic fate inside that building? Giovanni looked up at the destroyed base, his eyes narrowing. He certainly hoped that she would have escaped, she was his favourite agent after all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Dark Hearts**

* * *

This is the final chapter at last. The story had a slow start and I literally had bazillions of ideas for it that I never used or changed my mind about, but I won't bother going into them. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Now I'm just looking forward to starting my next planned fic.

* * *

"I really think we should just call the police now," Professor Oak said, sounding stressed as he paced back and forth across the room. "If I had just called last night, they would have gone to look for Ash already. Just what were those kids thinking?"

Delia was sitting on one of the chairs, sipping from a cup of coffee. "It would have been safer to just leave it to the police, but they were understandably very worried about Ash. I can't believe that Giovanni, trying to lure him into his evil organisation. Ash would never do something like joining them. If it hadn't been for me being taken hostage, he wouldn't be there now."

"Ash wasn't very sensible going to Team Rocket in the first place and now his friends have gone and followed him into that death trap." Samuel stopped and shook his head despairingly. "As if that wasn't the only thing we had to worry about. Did you hear about the Pokemon and what it was doing to him?"

Delia gave him a confused look. "You mean the Pokemon that Giovanni was trying to get? Brock and May said some strange things, but they didn't explain anything to me. I guess I was a little too distracted at the time to think about asking."

"I don't know the exact details of what it was doing, but it was putting him through some kind of trouble," Samuel said, walking over and sitting next to her. He didn't want to make Delia worry too much, but she had a right to know what was going on. "It wasn't making life any easier for him. We would have tried to help him through his trouble, but he chose to run away instead."

"Oh." Delia looked shocked at the thought of Ash going through such misery. "That stupid woman..." she murmured, lowering her head. "If it wasn't for her little experiment, my son would be fine and none of this would have happened. How could nobody have had any idea what she was really like?"

"I don't know. She was good at acting and making everyone believe she was a good person when really she was pure evil beneath." Professor Oak got up and glanced at the phone. "I'm going to make the call. If we know Team Rocket is in Viridian City, then Officer Jenny has to know. They may not have any idea Team Rocket is operating under their noses."

"That's a good idea." Delia nodded approvingly. "Their base must be well hidden though. I don't know where exactly it was, since I was blindfolded for part of the ride in the helicopter both times. I only guessed it was nearby because of the short time the rides took."

"I'm sure it will be enough to just tell them Team Rocket is nearby." Professor Oak was already at the phone, dialling the number of the police station in Viridian City. After a few rings, a harried looking policeman picked up.

"Viridian City police," said the policeman. "How can we be of help?" Behind him, there seemed to be a fair amount of commotion going on. The building was packed with people being led through, their hands cuffed as they were escorted by police.

"I am calling about Team Rocket," Samuel told him. "I have good reason to believe that they may have a base of operations nearby, very close to Viridian City."

"Uh, yeah. We found out this morning," the policeman said, giving him a strange look. "I don't know exactly what happened, but we discovered Team Rocket's base when something caused it to explode. You could see the smoke for miles."

"What?" Delia had overheard and ran to the phone, looking horrified. "What do you mean the base just blew up? Was anybody badly hurt?" Ash was over there, wasn't he? If the base had blown up with him inside... she didn't even want to think about it.

"I don't know all the details yet," the man said apologetically. "I think the leader of Team Rocket was one of the arrested Rockets and a lot of people were arrested along with him. We've heard that a Pokemon caused the explosion, but it might just be a rumour. I'm sorry I can't help you with anything else."

"That's alright. Thank you for telling us. Goodbye." Samuel slowly put the receiver down and turned to look at Delia with a grim expression. "This doesn't sound good at all. I hope they weren't all there when the base exploded. The Pokemon that caused it... he must have been talking about Professor Ivy's creation. It sounds powerful enough to do that."

Delia wasn't really listening at this point as she wandered over to sit on a chair, feeling weak. Her own son could have been caught up in some terrible explosion and possibly even killed. Samuel sat beside her and pulled her into her arms, trying to comfort her.

"I'm sure he's okay, Delia," Samuel murmured. "We'll just have to wait for more news on the situation." He certainly hoped Ash was okay, and Misty, May and Brock as well. They had gone to look for the Team Rocket base and might even have been right by it as it exploded.

Tracey came in a few minutes later, having just finished his latest job. He saw Professor Oak and Delia sitting together on the sofa and sensed that something was not right. "Professor, Mrs Ketchum. Is there something wrong?" he asked anxiously, hurrying over.

"Apparently there was an explosion at Team Rocket's base," Professor Oak said tersely. "Ash is very likely to be there and Brock, Misty and May might have been close by as well, since they went to look for him. It's just one thing after another these days. I can't keep up anymore."

"Yes, I know what you mean..." Tracey sighed. "Ash's Sinnoh Pokemon are settling in quite well among the other Pokemon. They were quite confused about him being gone at first, but they seem to understand now. I hope he will be coming back soon."

"I hope so too. Ash will surely be fine. He's always managed to get out of even the trickiest situations somehow." Delia forced a smile. "They will come back and with Giovanni arrested, we won't have to worry about Team Rocket anymore. That man deserves to be behind bars for what he's done."

* * *

Some time later, Ash, May, Brock and Misty had arrived back in Pallet Town. It was growing late in the afternoon by now and they hadn't even stopped to eat lunch, but it was worth it in the end when they finally made it back. The tired travelers walked up to Ash's house, glad to have reached their destination at last.

"Mime! Mime!" Mimey greeted the group at the door, looking enthusiastic to see them back. However, Delia was noticeably not there to greet them.

"Oh? Mom isn't here?" Ash sounded disappointed. "I guess she must be at Professor Oak's laboratory. Is that right, Mimey?" He glanced at Mimey, who nodded in confirmation.

"Well, in that case, we should head over there then," Brock said. "I'm sure they are all very worried about us after we disappeared like that. How much should we tell them about our time over there?"

"If we leave out the part about Team Rocket trying to kill us, we might get off lightly," May said nervously, pushing her fingers together as she often did when feeling awkward. "I don't think they would be happy to hear that part anyway."

"Huh? Where are you going?" Misty asked as Ash walked toward the stairs with Pikachu on his shoulder. "Aren't we supposed to be going to the laboratory now?"

"I'm going to get changed," Ash explained, glancing at the Team Rocket uniform that he had been wearing the whole time they were coming back. He didn't have a change of clothes with him at the time after all. "I don't really want everyone to see me wearing this. I'll be back down in a minute." He hurried up the stairs, out of their sight.

"I think he's feeling guilty about running away to Team Rocket," May said, gazing up the stairs with a sympathetic expression. "He doesn't even want anyone else seeing him in that uniform."

"We almost got ourselves killed too trying to help him, so yeah, I guess he would be feeling pretty bad about it," Misty guessed. "Thank goodness it's all over now. Ash won't have to go through any more misery."

"He's still got those father issues to get over, but I'm sure he'll cope," Brock said. "What kind of person would try to kill their own son anyway, let alone young and innocent people like us? I hope Officer Jenny arrested Giovanni, if that blast didn't do anything permanent to him. A lifetime in jail is what he deserves."

"I can't imagine what it would be like to have your own father attempt to have you killed," May whispered, a shiver passing over her body. How must Ash have felt, not only knowing his father was the leader of an evil gang, but almost getting murdered on his orders? "But Ash will be okay. I know it."

"Yeah." Misty smiled and nodded. "He doesn't let a lot of things get him down after all."

Soon enough, Ash reappeared at the top of the stairs, having changed back into his normal clothes. He was glad to have finally been able to cast off that uniform and be able to wear his proper outfit. "Alright, I'm ready," Ash announced, hurrying down to where his friends were waiting. "Let's go to Professor Oak's place now."

The group of four quickly walked through the town toward Professor Oak's laboratory. Tracey answered the door, looking surprised as he saw who the visitors were. "Oh... Ash... everyone... we were really worried about you. You weren't caught in that explosion then?"

"The explosion?" Brock repeated. "You mean... you all already know about what happened at the Team Rocket base?"

"We were nowhere near the explosion when it happened," Misty said. "Though we were in the Team Rocket base before that. It's kind of a long story to be telling at the door though."

"I see." Tracey stepped aside, allowing them to come in before he closed the door behind them. "Well, it's good to see you are all safe anyway," he said, leading them to the lounge where Professor Oak and Delia were deep in conversation. The two broke off as Tracey entered the room and looked up, surprise registering on their faces as they saw who were with him.

"Ash!" Delia was the first to stand, hurrying across the room and pulling her son into a tight hug. "You're safe... thank goodness. I was so worried about you."

"Heh... sorry," Ash mumbled sheepishly as she stepped back, holding onto his shoulders and gazing down at him with a concerned look. "I've been making everyone worry about me lately. I'm glad you're okay too, Mom." He smiled.

"I'm surprised I haven't had a heart attack yet from all the surprises I'm getting lately," Professor Oak chided, walking over to stand beside Delia. "Turning up like this after we learned about the Team Rocket base exploding. What were you thinking, going off like that?"

"Yes, the Professor is right." Delia looked stern. "I'm glad to see you are all back safe and sound somehow, but you could have been in a lot of danger. Why couldn't you just let us call the police instead?"

"We're sorry, Mrs Ketchum," Misty said, hanging her head and looking downcast. "May and I really wanted to go and help Ash, and we dragged Brock along with us. He didn't want us to go alone."

"Uh huh. It was our idea." May nodded, biting down on her lower lip. "We managed to find the Team Rocket base and we were being really careful, but somehow things went horribly wrong."

"Somehow?" Professor Oak repeated, looking aghast. "Just what happened?"

"Someone recognised May and I from the news broadcast," Brock replied. "We were even wearing uniform to sneak in, but that didn't help matters. Then the leader of Team Rocket was there with his men and they weren't about to give us a warm welcome."

"So, what, did they just throw you all out of there then?" Tracey asked.

"That would have been much nicer than what they tried to do," Misty said acidly. "They had guns and they weren't afraid to use them on us."

"Oh..." Delia looked shocked, putting a hand over her mouth. "You mean that Giovanni actually tried to have you killed? What is wrong with that man?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kidnapping was bad, but killing children? Misty, May and Brock could all have been shot dead. The very thought of it sickened her.

"I would lecture you all on the dangers of being so reckless, but it looks like you learned your lesson in there," Samuel said, looking troubled. "So, did you escape then? What happened to the base to make it explode?"

"I jumped in to try and save them," Ash explained. "They had already found me... and then those people came and took them to a room. I couldn't stand there and watch my friends be shot." He lowered his head, his voice growing quieter. "Giovanni wasn't happy. He tried to have me killed as well, then he would just have taken the Pokemon by force."

"He did what?" Delia hissed, her eyes narrowing. Of all the things that Giovanni had done up to this point, that had to be the worst possible one of all. How could he have tried to do such a thing? "That evil... how could he possibly do something like that?" She looked at Ash, seeing how downcast he was. Knowing his father was the leader of Team Rocket and almost getting killed by him... he was really hurting, wasn't he?

"Ash saved us all," May spoke next. "He sent out that Pokemon, Justice, and it protected us from Team Rocket's weapons, then teleported us out of the base. Justice then sacrificed itself and blew up the building. If it wasn't for Ash, we would all be dead now."

"It sacrificed itself?" Tracey asked, looking confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's gone," Misty said. "Completely. Justice doesn't even exist anymore. I hope that explosion dealt with Giovanni. We weren't going to hang around and find out what happened. It would be pretty bad if he survived."

"According to the police, Giovanni was arrested and a lot of Team Rocket members as well," Professor Oak told her. "We were quite surprised to hear about the base blowing up especially knowing you would all likely be there."

"He's in jail then? That's good to know." May looked relieved. "I hope this means Team Rocket isn't going to be a threat anymore."

"I would certainly hope so," Brock said. "I think I've had enough excitement to last me a lifetime. We're very lucky to be here right now and I hope you girls realise that." Misty and May sheepishly nodded.

Despite the conversation going on around him, Ash had fallen quiet. He was staring at his feet with a glum look on his face. It was good that all the troubles were over, but he had found out things about his past he would have been happier not knowing. That evil man who was his father had even tried to kill him. How could somebody try to kill their own child?

"Pikapi?" Pikachu murmured in concern, sensing Ash's mood. "Pika pika."

"Ash... we should talk," Delia said finally. "Now that you know the truth about your father, I think I should explain some things."

Ash didn't want to hear any more about Giovanni and would have been happier trying to forget about it all, but he didn't want to risk hurting her feelings by refusing. "Okay," he mumbled.

"You know," Misty said suddenly. "We haven't eaten since breakfast. Why don't we have something to eat now?"

"Of course. Let's go to the kitchen and see what we can fix up," Tracey offered, walking out of the room. "I'm sure we've got plenty of food for you guys." Misty, May, Brock and Professor Oak followed him out, leaving Delia and Ash alone in the room. The two of them then sat down on the couch, Pikachu jumping from Ash's shoulder and snuggling up on a cushion.

"It was nearly fifteen years ago that I met your father. Of course, I had no idea of his background or his family. He was just a traveller who had come by Pallet Town on his journey," Delia explained. "It happened so quickly, we practically fell in love at first sight."

Ash looked at her blankly. "What, as soon as you saw each other, you loved each other? Was it like that weird thing that Brock does all the time, hitting on every girl he sees?"

Delia shook her head, smiling. Of course, she figured Ash wouldn't get something like that so quickly, so it was better to try and keep her explanation simple. "You'll understand when you're older, Ash. Anyway, Giovanni... he never talked much about his past and seemed reluctant to, but that didn't bother me. He was a much nicer man back then too. We got married about a year after we met."

"Was he really nice?" Ash asked doubtfully. "I can't imagine that at all."

"I know what you mean. He's changed a lot since then," Delia said. "Giovanni really was a gentle and kind man in the past. Just a few months after the wedding, I was pregnant with you. We were both over the moon and he was so excited about getting to be a father."

"Some father he was," Ash muttered, glowering at his feet. He couldn't imagine that someone would look forward to fatherhood, only to run out on their wife and child so quickly. It didn't make any sense.

"I know. I was surprised when he disappeared so suddenly after you were born. Giovanni just left without a word." Delia clenched a fist, her eyes narrowing. "Only now do I know why. He told me that just after you were born, his mother had stepped down from the leadership position of Team Rocket and he had abandoned us so that he could go and take over. I never saw or heard from him again until Team Rocket came to take me away."

"You never told me much about him," Ash recalled. "You didn't have any pictures either."

"No, I didn't. I was so furious at him for leaving us I got rid of everything that reminded me of him. You never asked what his name was, what he looked like or anything. You just liked to know what he was like as a Pokemon trainer." Delia let out a sigh. "I wish you hadn't had to find out the truth about him the way you did. I was quite shocked to hear about him being the leader of Team Rocket... but it must have been much more upsetting for you."

Ash swallowed heavily, remembering how he had gone completely under Justice's control at that time, due to his devastation at learning the identity of his father, and indirectly caused the deaths of several people. "Yeah... I didn't want to believe it at the time, but I found my birth certificate and it proved it. How could someone like him be my father? The leader of Team Rocket... it's just so unbelievable. He even had the nerve to suggest I actually join them. I only did it because I had no other choice."

"I know. Professor Oak and the others explained what was going on the whole time. You've had it pretty hard, haven't you?" Delia sighed. "It's all that woman's fault. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have been forced to learn the truth. You wouldn't have been in danger so many times, or Misty, May and Brock either. Someone could have ended up losing their life through this mess."

"Mmm." Ash nodded, a shiver passing through his body. He had even tried to protect his friends from himself, only for them to almost die and him as well. "I don't understand at all... how could he even try to have me killed? Giovanni didn't even care that he was my father... he just wanted to get that Pokemon for himself, even if it meant getting rid of me." A lump rose in his throat and he resisted the urge to cry. It bothered him more than he had originally thought.

"I don't think he even knows what it means to be a father. He's just a monster who's forgotten what it's like to be even human." Delia put an arm around him for comfort, feeling the shaky trembling in his body. "I know you liked to think your father was a good person as well as a great Pokemon trainer. I wish that really had been the truth. He's in jail now, where he belongs, so we should just get on with our lives and try to forget about it. I know I'd like to."

"Me too. I wish I could forget ever learning about my father." Ash sighed. "I never imagined that my real father could be such a monster. I'm not going to let it affect me. Just because the leader of Team Rocket is my father... it won't change who I am."

"Of course not," Delia agreed. "You are yourself, no matter who your father is. So don't let it get you down. Just keep on looking ahead and being your positive self."

"Yeah," Ash said enthusiastically, getting to his feet and raising his fist. "I'm not going to let this get me down anymore. I'll keep going on my quest to become the greatest Pokemon Master of all time!" As he finished speaking, his stomach suddenly let out a loud rumble and he winced, looking embarassed. Pikachu jerked his head up, startled by the sudden growling sound.

"Becoming a Pokemon Master won't be easy running on an empty stomach," Delia teased, standing up. "Go along to the kitchen now and get something to eat."

"I haven't had anything to eat since morning," Ash mumbled. "Alright, Pikachu, let's go." Pikachu happily leaped onto his shoulder as he hurried out of the room to the kitchen where he found Tracey at the cooker, steaming ramen, while May, Misty and Brock patiently waited at the table. Professor Oak had evidently gone somewhere else to keep himself busy.

"Is everything okay now, Ash?" May asked concernedly as Ash pulled up a chair and quickly sat down, eager for some food.

"Yeah, everything's fine now." Ash smiled. "There's no need to worry."

"That's good." May looked happier to hear it. "If there's ever anything wrong, please just talk to us about it instead of hiding it."

"Or running away," Misty added. "Remember, we're always here for you, no matter what you're going through. So don't try letting me down again or else you'll really regret it." She winked, making it clear she was only half joking in what she was saying.

"The whole time, I was afraid. I didn't really know what to do," Ash said quietly, recalling the troubled times he'd had ever since he caught the Ultimate Pokemon. "I didn't think I could depend on anybody to help me and I was afraid you guys would get hurt eventually. I didn't want to risk that, but you all came after me anyway. We're just lucky it all worked out in the end. I'm sorry I caused so much trouble for everyone."

"Don't be too sorry about it," Brock assured. "You didn't know what you were getting into when you caught Justice. You were only trying to do the right thing, weren't you? If it hadn't been for Professor Ivy's twisted experiment, none of this would ever have happened. She's the one to blame for this whole mess. But I agree with Misty and May, it's better to just turn to others. You are never alone."

"Pika, pika." Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Alright, the noodles are ready," Tracey announced, placing bowls of steaming noodles on the table before everyone. "Enjoy." He stood back, watching as everyone quickly began eating the food and smiled in bemusement. Clearly, walking from Viridian City to Pallet Town without any lunch had worked up quite the appetite in them all.

* * *

The sound of feet echoed throughout the empty corridor as a policeman paced past the cells of the Viridian City jail. He assumed that he was entirely alone as he patrolled the maximum security wing, checking to make sure that none of the prisoners had somehow managed to break through their top notch security they reserved for this area, but he couldn't have been more wrong. There was one other person in there with him, but they were not about to announce their presence anytime soon.

Domino clung to the ceiling, aided by the suction pads she wore on her clothes, holding her breath until the policeman had exited through a door and left the hallway empty. She scanned the area with the heat seeking goggles that she wore, enabling her to see through even the thick metal of the cell doors. The doors were tightly secured and could only be opened by entering the correct number on a keypad, but that wasn't what she was interested in.

The Team Rocket agent detached herself from the ceiling and nimbly dropped, quietly sneaking through the corridor and continuing to look through the doors with her equipment. Eventually, she found the cell that she was looking for. Domino reached up and deactivated her goggles, approaching the door and reaching up to slide back the panel that allowed her to see into the room normally.

"Boss, it's me," Domino murmured through the panel, just loud enough that Giovanni could hear her from inside the room. He was lying on the thin bed inside the cell, clad in prison garments rather than his orange suit. The Team Rocket leader sat up as he heard the voice, looking toward the door in surprise.

"Agent 009, is that really you?" Giovanni stood up and walked to the door, seeing her purple eyes through the panel. "So you managed to escape safely from the base after all? I fell when the floor collapsed... and ended up here." The disgust in his tone was plain as day. Those unwitting police had actually managed to arrest him and hold him prisoner, something that severely wounded his dignity.

"I wish I could have been of help back there but we ended up getting separated in the commotion and I thought it would be best to simply escape and avoid the police," Domino explained. "It was hard enough just getting in this place alone, so I can't help you break out, I'm afraid. Anyway..." She took a deep breath and let it out. "I don't think I even want to."

"What is the meaning of that, Domino?" Giovanni demanded, shocked by the lack of respect she suddenly demonstrated. "Are you actually saying you don't want to help me?"

"Something like that," Domino replied, crossing her arms and leaning against the door. "I think that taking a break from being the leader of Team Rocket could actually do you some good in the long run. It feels like you're starting to get a bit too obsessed with this whole being evil thing and having fun just for the heck of it."

"What are you talking about?" Giovanni asked, growing furious. How could his most trusted agent be acting like this to him? "How can you be so bold as to speak to me like that?"

"If there was one thing that I was most sorry for, it would be that I was the one to show you that tape," Domino said flatly, not at all cowed by Giovanni's anger. "Though I guess you would have got wind of it sooner or later. You really went in over your head just to try and get that Pokemon. Tell me, Boss, do you even know the names of the people who were killed that day?"

"That day?" Giovanni paused, thinking. "You mean, when that Pokemon was demonstrating its skills for us and took it out on some of my employees? No, I don't know their names. Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?"

"Hey, now, I don't know who they were either, but you could have at least pretended to care," Domino said. "That crazy Pokemon killed your own workers and you still wanted to get it. You wouldn't stop at anything, would you?"

"It was one of a kind and potentially the most powerful Pokemon in the world," Giovanni reminded her. "Of course I wanted to get my hands on it. I could have even built a great Pokemon army and made Team Rocket's influence on the world much stronger with it under my control."

"You didn't have to go completely insane over it." Domino shook her head, releasing a long, drawn out sigh. "Killing those children was just a little over the top, though you had your reasons for it, but then you tried to kill your own son? The Team Rocket base got blown up by that crazy Pokemon and then you got caught by the police."

"It may have ended badly and the Pokemon might not even exist anymore, but I was desperate to get my hands on it. You have no right to judge my actions," Giovanni said sharply. "I was only doing it for the glory of Team Rocket. That Pokemon would have been a very valuable asset and it wouldn't have mattered who I had to sacrifice in order to get it once and for all."

"I see." Domino closed her eyes. "Maybe you should spend your time in jail reflecting on your behaviour. With luck, you'll remember what Team Rocket is really all about and what your responsibilities are as the leader. A good leader is supposed to care about their gang, not lead it to ruination. I don't want to see Team Rocket be destroyed and I know you don't either. We can run it just fine without you."

Before Giovanni could say anything in response, Domino had slammed the panel shut. He silently seethed, stunned that his top agent could be acting in such a way toward him, the leader of Team Rocket itself. He sat back on the bed, staring at the door with an intense look. Perhaps she was right in some ways, but he would never question his own judgment. Giovanni had wanted to get that Pokemon, no matter what the cost, and it had all been for Team Rocket. A few sacrifices in the end shouldn't have mattered in his opinion.

Domino quickly made her way back through the prison, scaling across the ceiling and passing through doors at the right moment, until she came to the high window that had served as her entrance. She perched on the sill, activating her glider, then leaped off and soared over the fence around the prison. Once she was a safe distance away, she made her way to the distant hideout that was serving as a temporary base for the Rockets who had escaped the blast without getting caught by the police. Giovanni wasn't around to lead them, but she was happy to take over that position for him.

It wasn't likely he would get out of jail anytime soon, but if he did, Domino hoped that he would have come to his senses. Team Rocket needed a sane and capable leader and right now, Giovanni was not suitable for the position. Domino hadn't really liked speaking to her boss in such a manner, but someone had to try and bring him to his senses. It was her duty as Agent 009 to see that Team Rocket would never fall.


End file.
